


Falling Stars

by ChronoXtreme



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Brother-Sister Relationships, But it dont work, F/M, Family Drama, Female My Unit | Kamui | Corrin, Fluff, Leo has fallen for her, Leo is just trying to be a good brother, Novelization, Overprotective, Pre-Relationship, Protect these children, Protective Siblings, Pseudo-Incest, Sad, Sibling Rivalry, Tears, but he doesnt know that yet, garon is a jerk, nohr drama cd spoilers, plans gone wrong, poor bby leo, subconscious love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 14:41:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14813346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChronoXtreme/pseuds/ChronoXtreme
Summary: “A falling star fell from your heartAnd landed in my eyesI screamed aloud as it tore through themAnd now it’s left me blind”— “Cosmic Love,” Florence + The MachineLeo decides that he's had enough of Corrin being stuck in the Northern Fortress. A retelling of the Nohr Drama CD.





	1. Princess of the Fortress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Before I realized it, I began to think, “I want to show her the world outside."_

The cold air felt oppressive as ever as Leo walked down the halls of the Northern Fortress. Spring was here, but winter seemed to cling to the air with a possessive, greedy grip. 

_ Is she cold here too? _ he wondered, still shivering a bit despite his armor. He’d come so quickly from Castle Krakenburg that he hadn’t had time to change. Though he’d liked to have said that brotherly affection was what had motivated his haste, in reality it was guilt. He sighed as he drew near to the library, pushing down the irrational emotion. So what if he’d had a mission that overlapped with his siblings’ visit to Corrin? That was outside of his control.

But as of late…

He knocked on the door, metal against wood ringing loudly in the still air. “Corrin?” he asked, opening the heavy door to the library. “I’m here.”

And there sat his sister on the couch, black leggings underneath a soft blue tunic, her crimson eyes twinkling. “Leo!” she said, her voice delighted as she rose from the couch, running towards him. “It’s so good to see you!”

He grunted as he caught her tackle hug, but couldn’t help the smile that crept up his face. Though sometimes he found it annoying, Corrin’s enthusiasm could also be endearing at times. She gave him an extra hard squeeze, then pulled away. “How’s my little brother?” she asked, grinning widely. 

“Trying to remember how to breathe,” he wheezed, coughing a bit. “Gods, Corrin, did you intend to throttle me?” 

She rolled her eyes, but her grin still remained. “You’ll live. You’ve got armor on, after all.” Her smile shrank a bit. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“I couldn’t come by recently,” he said, the light mood fading as he remembered why he had been absent. “Father sent me to quell another bandit rebellion.” 

Corrin’s lips turned down into a frown. “I see.” She hesitated. “Did it… Did it go well?”

“As well as could be expected,” Leo said. “But, enough of me. How are you doing? Is everything all right here?”

The frown was gone in less than a second. “Yep! Everything’s perfectly fine. Still the same as always.” 

“Is that so?” he asked. “That’s good, then.”

_ In some ways. In others, not at all. _

His sister had lived in the same fortress for the past ten years, with practically no experience with the outside world. The only contact she had was through her siblings, but with their busy schedules and erratic deployment on missions, they couldn’t visit her as often as they’d like. Camilla in particular always complained about it. And Leo had also wondered.

Why did their sister live isolated from them? 

Father had claimed it was because of her sickness. But she hadn’t grown ill in over four years now, and her strength with the sword was improving. Corrin was no Xander, but she… well, she could handle herself better than a first day recruit in the National Defense. Yet, Leo could feel a little more secure with Corrin safely tucked away in her sequestered fortress. To see her haunted by battle, having to wield her sword against a living thing… 

He could still feel the blood on his face from the battles of the past week. 

_ Perhaps it’s better this way. _

“Camilla and Elise came to visit me not long ago, actually,” Corrin said, her voice wistful. She smiled, but he could see the sadness behind it. “They’re going to Cyrkensia for a month. Sister trip.”

“Is that so?” Leo asked. His chest felt heavier as he saw her rub at her hands.  _ And she can’t go with them. _ “Well, I was going to come with Xander, but he got caught by Father at the last second.” Corrin’s sadness faded at the subject change, and a little of the weight in his chest lifted. “We planned to meet and travel together, but it didn’t come together. I even finished my philosophy book.” 

Corrin chuckled. “So, in other words, you left him behind.”

Leo smirked. “Well, you know Xander. He takes his meetings very seriously.” 

“How long did you wait?” Corrin asked, a gleam in her eye.

“Almost three hours,” Leo admitted, rubbing his forehead. “Either way, he should be here soon.”

“Three hours? That’s a record,” Corrin commented. But her smile widened. “It’s been a while since Xander’s been here too. It’ll be good to see the both of you.” Then, she winced. “I’m sorry, I completely forgot. Did you want tea or a meal or anything? I can have Jakob prep your room for you.”

“Tea will be fine,” Leo said, sitting on the couch. “I’m afraid I don’t have much time. I’ll have to travel back to the castle tonight.”

He tried to ignore how Corrin’s exuberant air deflated at his statement.

“All right. Felicia, Flora!” she called, waving her hand. Leo turned to see the twin maids pop in from the hallway, Felicia nearly toppling over. “Could you get us some tea? Leo’s favorite.”

“Of course!” Felicia said, running off with a swish of pink hair. 

“Leave it to us, Lady Corrin,” Flora said, her eyes tired as she pulled away. “Felicia, careful with that tea set…”

Leo chuckled. “Still the same, I see.”

“Yep,” Corrin said, sitting down next to him on the couch. She smiled idly. “But they’re the best.” 

Leo blinked as a loud crashing sound rang from the hallway, echoed by a shrill feminine shriek. “Felicia!” Flora shouted, her voice exasperated. “Are you all right? That’s the third teapot you’ve broken today…”

“S-Sorry,” Felicia’s contrite tone mumbled. 

Corrin chuckled, smiling at Leo. “See?”

He sighed. “As usual for your retainers. With her, it doesn’t matter how many times you anticipate it.” He glanced at her. “Should I ask Father to find someone more capable?” He shuddered to think of how much chinaware Felicia had destroyed in the past six months, let alone how long she’d served Corrin here.

Corrin froze, her eyes wide. “What? No! Honestly, it’s fine.” She stared back at the hallway as the twin maids finally brought in the tea on a cart, the familiar scent of peppermint wafting through the air. “Everyone does really well here. Besides, they’re family to me.” Felicia’s face was as pink as her hair as the tea was served. Corrin thanked them, and the maids curtseyed before retreating out into the hallway. “Gunter, Felicia and Flora, Jakob… They’re irreplaceable.” 

Leo stared at the doorway, teacup in hand as he pondered her words.  _ Family… _ He agreed with her. Gunter had practically raised her as an adoptive daughter, and despite Felicia’s clumsiness and Jakob’s rough attitude, they were good caretakers. Corrin had never suffered neglect or abuse under their hand. But…

Wasn’t that their role? To take care of their sister?

It was more complicated than that, of course. Leo glanced at his sister, at her silver hair and crimson eyes, the slant of her pointed ears. He knew the secret of their differing origins, though she didn’t. Yet he remembered his retainer’s words, spoken from long ago.  _ So what if you don’t share a daddy? You live with her, you laugh with her, you love her like a sister. That makes her one. _

He hated living with the lie, but still, Corrin was family. And family took care of each other.

“By the way…” Corrin’s voice was furtive as she rubbed her hands again, back bowed as she stared at her tea. “I don’t suppose Father told you anything… right?”

“About what?” Leo asked, taking another sip. Despite Felicia’s clumsiness, the brew was good.

“About me leaving the Fortress?” she asked, though her eyes were sad. She knew the answer just as well as he did.

“I haven’t heard anything,” he said quietly. Corrin had hoped that on her eighteenth birthday, she’d be allowed to leave this place. Yet Father hadn’t even sent a present to her. He didn’t acknowledge her presence most days. A lump rose in his throat as her back bowed even more. “I’m sorry, Corrin,” he said softly, though it was a weak apology.  

“No, it’s fine,” she said quickly, shaking her head. Leo pursed his lips as she tried to smile. “It’s just… I was hoping to be able to go to the meadows this year.”

“Meadows?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, enthusiasm shining in her eyes. “Mmhm. Every three years, there’s a huge meteor shower that you can go and watch in those meadows. Gunter told me about it, and I found a chart of days when it happens.” Her hands grasped a thick astronomy tome, and Leo blinked as she flipped open to a page, marked with a red ribbon. “The meadows are close to this fortress, not more than a few miles away. And the shower starts next week. Gunter said that there are thousands of shooting stars, and it lasts for days.” Wonder filled her crimson eyes as she looked up at him. “Can you believe that?”

“It sounds phenomenal,” Leo agreed, staring down at the book. He’d never witnessed such a thing — most nights were clouding, preventing any massive spectacles like that.

“I’ve been waiting to do this since I was little,” Corrin admitted, slowly closing the book. She exhaled softly. “Guess I’ll just wait another three years. Not too long, right?”

_ Corrin… _

Would she have ever seen something like that? Leo had seen several shooting stars before, and while he didn’t believe they could grant wishes, he agreed that it was a beautiful sight. But Corrin, locked in a lonely fortress, only a few servants for company… 

Words he had spoken on their siblings’ last visit haunted him.   _ “The world outside these walls may seem wonderful. But in reality, it’s far more complicated. Here, life is simple. There is a certain charm to it.” _ He’d recognized his error later in the conversation, but sitting here, looking at Corrin trying to be optimistic about her chances for release, the words stung him. 

_ You deserve better from us than this life. _

But what could he do about it? Orders were orders. Corrin had to remain here, in the Northern Fortress, for her safety.

“Corrin?” Leo blinked as he saw his older brother rap on the doorframe with his armored knuckles. “May I come in?”

She quickly plastered a smile on her face, standing up. “You’re finally here!”

Xander chuckled. “Yes, well, that meeting took a bit longer than I expected. But how are you, Corrin?” He smiled as she too hugged him fiercely. “Still strong as ever, I see.”

“You know, Leo said pretty much the same thing earlier,” she pointed out with a grin.

“It’s because you took so long,” Leo pointed out, sipping his tea. 

“You could have stayed behind,” Xander replied. “That was the plan after all.”

“That was before I waited three hours for you,” Leo retorted. 

Xander chuckled. “Three hours? That’s a record. Usually you’ve taken off after three minutes.”

Corrin laughed. “That’s what  _ I _ said!” Leo couldn’t hold back a few chortles himself.  _ Gods, I miss this. _ How long had it been since he’d laughed with his siblings? A few months, at the least. Not since their last visit to see Corrin. 

Despite the gloom of the Northern Fortress, when their siblings were together here, it was like a magic spell — they could laugh, they could joke about politics and fashion, they could be themselves… Corrin’s very presence seemed to make all of them at ease, banishing the cold seriousness of Castle Krakenburg.

_ It’s like we can actually be real siblings here. No courtly masks to put on, no one to impress. Just us.  _

_ Just family. _

And before they knew it, the sun had dipped below the horizon and the moon was starting to rise. Leo started as Xander sighed, rising from the armchair. “Well, I’m afraid it’s past our time to leave. It’s truly been wonderful visiting with you, Corrin.” Leo reluctantly rose as well. 

Corrin was the last on her feet, and his heart sank as he saw the sadness in her eyes. “Sorry. I’ve kept you for too long.”

“Nonsense,” Xander said, a small smile on his lips as he clapped her shoulder. “We’ll just have ride a bit faster to get back at a reasonable time.”

“Right,” Leo said, folding his arms behind his back. “It’s perfectly manageable.” He smiled softly. “And we’ll be back to see you again soon.”

“Of course,” Corrin said. “I can walk you out to the stables.”

“That would be wonderful, little princess,” Xander said, falling into line behind her, though he knew the way by heart. The night air was chilly as they made their way to the central courtyard. Both Agnar and Sigurd were well taken care of by Lilith, and she smiled as they approached.

“I’ve given them a good rubdown, Your Highnesses,” she said, curtseying. “And they’ve already been saddled.”

“Thank you,” Xander said, mounting with a swift, practiced motion. “We’ll see you soon, Corrin. I swear it.”

“I’ll be counting on it,” she said, putting on her brightest smile. This was the part that Leo hated the most. Slowly, he mounted Agnar, settling into the comfortable saddle, then turned to look at her.

“Until next time,” he said softly.

“Until next time,” she said. “Stay safe going back to the castle.”

With a kick to the flanks, both of their warhorses trotted forward, and Leo stared down at the ground. “Lady Corrin, I think you’d better head inside,” Lilith said behind them. “It’s chilly out. You wouldn’t want to catch cold.”

“I’ll see them off,” Corrin said, her voice barely audible. Leo smiled as he heard her footsteps behind them. “It’s tradition.” Ever since she had read in some fairy tale book that the lady of the castle saw the knights off to war, she had insisted that she escort her siblings to the front gate.

It was as far as she could go.

And soon, the wind was in his hair, moonlight streaming down onto the dry soil. He turned to glance behind, watching as Corrin’s solitary shadow at the front gate grew smaller and smaller in the distance. Despite it all, he couldn’t get the sight of her lonely smile out of his mind. She tried so hard to give them a good send off, despite what it would mean for her — days spent in isolation, deprived of so many of the simple joys he experienced every day as prince of Nohr. And despite her wishing, it seemed she was trapped in that fortress indefinitely. 

_ “It’s just… I was hoping to be able to go to the meadows this year.” _

There was no logical reason why not to. It wasn’t far away from the fortress, and with an escort, she’d be perfectly safe. Besides, would Father truly mind a day expedition? He knew the answer, of course — he’d been growing more and more erratic as of late — but… His grip tightened on the reins. 

_ She needs to get out of that place. Experience the outside world somehow. _

And a plan began to form in his mind. 


	2. Elder Brother, Younger Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _You may possess strong magic and your contribution to the battlefield is irreplaceable. However, to protect someone whilst fighting is your weakness. Am I wrong?_

“You want to do _what?”_ Odin asked, his eyes wide as plates. “Sneak your sister—”

“Shh!” Leo grimaced as he glanced around. Despite the tests that had proven his loyalty, his newest retainer still lacked in the common sense department. “Odin, don’t speak so loudly.”

“That’s right,” Niles said, a leer on his face as he stared at his new colleague. “In this business, you keep your mouth shut and your ears open. Like _this.”_

Leo sighed as he pushed Niles’s face away with a finger. “Enough games. This is a serious issue.”

“Are you sure this is so wise, milord? Sneaking Lady Corrin out of the fortress, that is?” Niles asked, moving back and folding his arms.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Leo asked.

“But such plots are notoriously risky!” Odin proclaimed, waving his arms about dramatically. Leo sidestepped a bit. “If detected in your subterfuge, you’ll be captured by the dark paternal forces and suffer the wrath of imperiosity without the slightest tinge of mercy!”

“Translation?” Niles asked dryly.

“King Garon will get angry,” Odin said with a shudder.

“Then we won’t be discovered,” Leo said quietly. “Simple enough.” This was not the first time he’d hid something from his father’s eyes, and he doubted it would be the last.

“Aha! I expected nothing less from the splendiferous intellect of our dark liege!”

“Still, there’s another problem,” Niles pointed out, leaning against the wall. “If Lady Corrin leaves this fortress, she’ll die.”

Odin paled. “W-Wait, _really?”_

“You wouldn’t know since you just started,” Niles replied with a smirk. “Lord Leo’s sister is chronically ill. She needs to remain inside this fortress to stay healthy. Something about a magic barrier as well.”

“We’ll need to bet on whether that’s true,” Leo stated, folding his arms.

“What do you mean?” Niles asked.

“There _is_ a barrier set up around the fortress,” Leo explained, pacing around his room. “But the effects are so weak it’s practically negligible. Just a few wards to dissuade travelers from coming near, and a few strengthening enchantments to energize the people inside. I can’t even notice a difference when I enter inside. It took me a few trips to discover what the enchantments even were.”

“You can tell it that easily?” Odin asked. Leo smirked at the envy in his newest retainer’s voice.

“I’m no inexperienced mage. Even the average sorcerer wouldn’t be able to discern it, but… it was a subject of interest for a time.” He sighed. “Either way, the barrier won’t be a problem. Corrin is perfectly healthy, and it will only be for a few hours.”

“There’s a peculiar question,” Niles pointed out, twirling an arrow between his fingers. “Why would King Garon lie about your sister’s condition?”

“I don’t know,” Leo responded, staring down at the ground. _Either he wants her protected because he cares about her, or…_

_For some reason, he doesn’t want her leaving that fortress._

“Either way, reasons don’t apply in this scenario,” he continued. “All I wish is for Corrin to see the falling stars from the nearby meadow. A simple enough task. Will you two help me?”

“Your wish is my pleasure,” Niles said, winking with his remaining eye.

“Of course! Another grand mission — I’ve always wanted to escort a princess!” Odin’s grin gleamed. “So exciting!”

Leo couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you. You’re dismissed. I’ll need to speak with my brother.” Xander’s help would be invaluable on this mission.

 

* * *

 

“Absolutely not.” Lord Xander’s voice was solid and heavy, like Siegfried. Laslow sighed. _Here we go…_  

“And why not?” Prince Leo asked, narrowing his eyes at his elder brother. Though Laslow hadn’t seen the two interact often, there was always that subtle undercurrent of animosity. Odin was wringing his robes between his hands just watching them, and while Niles was silent, Laslow could also tell he was tense.

“Sneaking Corrin out of the fortress?” Xander shook his head, scribbling his signature on a few more forms. “To do such a thing under Father’s nose is preposterous. If by chance anything happened to Corrin, what would we do? She could grow ill if we took her too far.”

“As I explained earlier, it’s completely fine,” Leo said, his arms tightening behind his back. “The fortress’s barrier is practically nonexistent. Corrin will be—”

“Even if that’s true, and I doubt it is, what if there was an ambush? There are always thieves about.”

“Corrin would be perfectly safe,” Leo said stiffly. “I’d escort her.”

Xander set down his quill with a sigh, then looked up at him. “Leo… I’m sorry, but you’re not prepared for something like this.”

Leo gritted his teeth. “What in the world are you talking about?”

“Your magic is certainly formidable on the battlefield,” Xander said quietly, his tone placating. “And you’ve certainly proved yourself a warrior on your missions. But I’ve read the reports. On your last mission, your retainer nearly died because you were too distracted attacking the enemy behind you.” Laslow shuddered as he remembered Odin stumbling around the castle with bandages all along his torso, almost too weak to walk. “More than that, I’ve seen you in combat. Protecting someone whilst fighting is your weakness.” His eyes narrowed. “Am I wrong?”

Leo grimaced.

“I can tell just by looking,” Xander said, turning back to his forms. “And I won’t go against Father’s orders. To do so would needlessly risk Corrin’s life. I will not lend you power in this mission, Leo.”

“But—”

“But nothing,” Xander replied curtly, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. “If you came to me seeking help, then you yourself are unsure about going by yourself, no?” His eyebrows furrowed together, the lines on his forehead deepening. _He can’t be talked down when he’s like this,_ Laslow thought grimly. Though he found Prince Leo’s cause sympathetic, well… Lord Xander was hard to convince on a good day.

Leo stared down at the ground, remaining silent.

“Then I’m right,” Xander said, his tone final. “I couldn’t leave this to you.”

 _Ouch._ Even Laslow felt the sting of Leo’s flinch. “S-Scary,” Odin whispered, his eyes wide. “The royal rage is nearly tangible.”

“Typical for Lord Xander,” Niles muttered, his single eye flashing. “Such a hard personality. He can be so stiff at times…”

“Ah, it’s not so bad,” Laslow murmured. “He’s always like this when he’s angry at me. You just need a thick emotional skin. I hardly even mind it anymore.”

Somehow, Odin’s eyes widened even further. “Are you serious? Laslow of the Azure Skies, this is the first time I’ve ever admired you wholeheartedly!”

Laslow nearly blushed at his old friend’s praise. “Why, thank you, Odin Dark. But those lines on his forehead are getting awfully deep. He’ll lose it at this rate.” With a flourish, he cracked his knuckles. “Well, time for a little peacemaking…” He strode forward as confidently as he could, one of his dazzling grins on his lips. “Now, Lord Xander,” he said, clapping a hand on Xander’s shoulder. “Don’t be so upset. Why don’t you show your little brother that smile—”

“Laslow!” Xander barked, turning his glare at him. “I don’t remember inviting you into family matters!”

Laslow winced. “Y-Yes, milord. My apologies…”

Odin groaned as Laslow made his hasty retreat back towards Leo’s retainers. “Thick emotional skin, huh?”

“If you had a tail, it’d be between your legs,” Niles said, a snide smirk twisting up his lips.

“W-Well, there’s only so much that I can do…” Laslow twiddled his thumbs as Xander sighed, turning back to his younger brother.

“The matter is closed,” Xander said quietly. “I won’t allow you to take Corrin out of the Northern Fortress. Understood?”

Leo’s hands balled into fists behind his back. _Here it comes,_ Laslow thought with a wince. _Sibling combat in three, two, one…_

“Well?” Xander asked, eyebrow raised. “What’s your answer?”

“I… understand, Brother,” Leo said, exhaling slowly. Laslow raised an eyebrow.

“Good.” Xander straightened the papers on his desk. “Listen, Leo. I understand your motives. But it’s wise not to rush things with Corrin and Father. My intention isn’t to simply leave her there for eternity. There’s no justice to that. But right now is too hasty to try and plan anything like this. To make a move might change Father’s mind.”

The younger prince nodded. “I… I see. My apologies, Xander, for wasting your time.” He motioned curtly to Niles and Odin. “We’ll take our leave of you, then.”

“Are you sure about that, Lord Leo?” Niles asked, his voice uncertain. Laslow blinked. _Even his own retainers are surprised he’s giving up so easy…_

Leo simply nodded. “Farewell, Xander.” And with that, the three were off, Odin racing to catch up with his fellow retainer and lord. Laslow blinked at their retreating figures. _Well, that was… peaceful._ With all the rumors about the royal siblings, he’d imagined a brawl, not a retreat. Then again, those rumors were from the maids. Very pretty maids, at that…

“Hm. He gave up much more quickly than I imagined,” Laslow noted. “He’s an obedient boy, your brother.” Though he’d tried to observe the Royal Family ever since coming to Nohr and receiving his position, Leo still mystified him, in a way. _If he truly cared about his sister, you’d think he’d put up more of a fight._

“Leo is a wise boy,” Xander said, a small smile on his lips. “Though he can be impulsive at times. I was a bit strict with him, but I was only looking out for him.” Laslow inched closer towards the door as Xander stared down at his desk, looking lost in thought. _Three more feet…_ “He is right, however. Corrin doesn’t deserve to be in that place.”

 _You’re telling me._ Laslow winced as the carpet squeaked beneath his foot.

Suddenly, Xander’s glare was focused on him, and Laslow couldn’t hold back the small yelp at his liege’s gaze. “And where do you think you’re going?”

“J-Just going to guard the door, milord,” Laslow said, flashing his most charming smile.

“No, you won’t. We still haven’t finished discussing your latest flirting antic with the maids.” Xander’s finger jabbed imperiously at the seat opposite his desk. “Hurry up and sit down.”

“B-But—”

_“Now.”_

“Yes, milord,” he squeaked, facing his doom. _Should have escaped when I had the chance…_

 

* * *

 

“Are you really satisfied with this?” Niles asked, for once dropping the flirtatious air. “You could try again. Lord Xander isn’t completely unreachable.”

Leo shook his head. “It’s fine. Any more talk from me would have been a waste of breath. Xander has always been stubborn. It’s more logical to spend that time putting our plan into effect.”

“I see! As expected of the brilliant genius of Lord Leo!” Odin paused, finger still stabbed in the air. “Uh, wait. Putting the plan into effect?”

“You haven’t given up, have you?” Niles’s tone seemed more approving than anything else.

Leo smiled. “Of course I haven’t. I can’t just sit still after being told I’m not cut out for the job.” His mood soured as he remembered Xander’s words. _“I couldn’t leave this to you. Protecting someone whilst fighting is your weakness.”_

_Not good enough. Not smart enough. Not strong enough._

He’d heard enough of that, growing up. Over time, he’d managed to shove down the pain of those words somewhere deep and dark, along with his fears. But his brother had brought them back.

 _I’m not inferior. I can protect Corrin. Besides, bandits near the Northern Fortress? It used to be abandoned, for gods’ sakes! What bandits would prowl around there?_  He shook his head, distracting himself from those thoughts. “If Xander won’t allow it, then we’ll simply have to hide this plan from him as well as Father.”

“The daring of my liege!” Odin looked like he was ready to squeal from delight. “I can’t believe it!”

Niles raised an eyebrow. “You’re sure that’s a good idea, milord? You’d have two enraged royals after you if they ever found out.”

“They won’t,” Leo replied bluntly. “Elise and Camilla are gone in Cyrkensia, and Felicia and Flora will keep quiet. The staff will be low as well next week.” _I can do this._

“But…” Odin seemed sad. “Still, going behind your brother’s back…”

“You don’t have to help me,” Leo said tiredly. “But I will cast a spell on you to prevent you from talking. Xander can never find out about this.”

Odin cringed. “U-Um, no need for that! I, Odin Dark, will give it my all and aid my noble liege on his quest!”

“I will do as your heart desires,” Niles said calmly, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Despite their antics, Leo couldn’t help but smile. “As expected of my retainers. The plan will take action the day the meteor shower is scheduled to appear at the meadow. In the meantime, we have some preparatory work to do…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus Leo begins to concoct his schemes, and the drama unfolds...
> 
> Writing Xander's scene was difficult, I'll admit. Hopefully I got it pretty in character. But I'm used to writing benevolent Xander, not "You're too incompetent to take your sister out of the fortress." Inferiority complex ahead, hoo boy.
> 
> Please let me know how you feel about it in the comments! :)


	3. Departure in the Clouds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Don’t worry. I promised you that I would show you the shooting stars from the meadow._

 

Corrin stared at herself in the mirror, blinking at the person she saw.

Instead of her silver curls, her hair was turquoise and straight, crowned with a white lace headdress. The maid’s dress fit her well enough, but the boots were too hot and tight around her feet. Still, for a disguise, it was pretty convincing. 

“Wow, Lady Corrin!” Felicia said, a triumphant grin on her face. “You look just like Big Sister! Like, a spitting image!”

“You really think so?” Corrin asked nervously, staring at Flora. Though the hair matched, well… their faces looked nothing alike.  _ But it’s supposed to be from a distance. So that won’t matter. _ Flora for her part was shrouded under a blanket, wrapped in a dressing robe underneath that. The cover was that “Corrin” was sick for the day, so she couldn’t see anyone or go outside. “Flora,” in the meantime, had contracted her illness and needed to take a few days off. They were about the same height, so the disguise was decent. Still, Corrin worried.

_ It’ll work out. It’s Leo that’s organized this, after all. He’s a genius. _

“Felicia, don’t compare Lady Corrin to a simple maid! It’s disgraceful for her station!” Flora chided, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. 

“Ahh! I’m sorry, Big Sister,” Felicia squeaked. “Saying that while you look like Lady Corrin is downright terrifying…”

Corrin chuckled. “It’s completely fine. By the way, you look good in my clothes, Flora!”

Now it was Flora’s turn to get flustered. “Th-Thank you, my lady. But is this really all right, switching places like this?”

“I’ll make sure to keep the guards away,” Leo said. “They won’t want to contract the fever. After that, it should be quite a simple matter. All that the staff have to believe is that Corrin has escorted both me and the maids to the front gate, as she usually does. Then, she’ll return to her room, no one the wiser. As long as Flora resembles Corrin from afar, then everything will work out excellently.”

“Then Lady Corrin will go with me to see the “doctor,’” Felicia said. “Right!”

Corrin couldn’t help but wring her hands.  _ I know that Leo’s trying to do a good thing, but still… _

“Sister?” Leo asked, his eyebrows raised. “Is something the matter?”

She moved to the corner of the room, and he naturally followed. “It’s just,” she whispered, clasping her hands. “Well… Xander and everyone else know about this too, right?”

Leo blinked. “Well, Xander knows about the meadow. At least that much.”

“But… This is all so that Father doesn’t find out, right?” Her stomach curled into knots at the thought of Garon’s rage. Though she’d never met the man except for shortly after her eighth birthday, she remembered the cold look in his eyes. Not to mention the stories from her siblings.

“It won’t happen,” Leo said quietly. “I promise.”

She swallowed. “But if he does… he’ll punish us, won’t he?”

“I wouldn’t let that happen to you,” Leo replied, his voice soft. “And even if Father tried, I would just take it on your behalf.”

A chill ran down Corrin’s spine at those words. “Y-You can’t do that! If that’s what this means, then we should just quit right now!”

Leo blinked. “What in the world are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about!” Corrin whispered, her hands gripping so tight she felt they might break. “I can’t risk that happening to you, Leo! I’m your older sister,  _ I’m _ the one supposed to be covering for you!”

“There will be no covering,” Leo said, rolling his eyes. “The meadow is only a few miles away, and we’ll only be gone for a few hours. As long as we come back immediately, there shouldn’t be any problem. Or do you not trust me?”

Corrin swallowed again. “Of course I do.”

“Then it will be all right,” Leo murmured. Corrin froze as he smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I promised you that I would show you those shooting stars. Do I break my promises?”

She couldn’t help but smile back. “Never.” With a quick motion, she jerked him into a hug. “Thank you, Leo.”

He chuckled, but gave her a small squeeze before separating. “Shall we?” he asked, pushing the door open.

Corrin sucked in a breath, then wrapped the scarf on the dressing screen around her face. It was time.

 

* * *

 

“Well, it was wonderful visiting you, Corrin,” Leo said smoothly, grasping Agnar’s reins in his hand. Flora stood at the gate, shrouded in her blanket so that only her face was barely visible. “I hope you recover soon. It’s a shame that your illness cut our visit short.”

“Y-Yes,” Flora whispered, her voice shaking. “Good luck.”

Felicia waved from her position on the carriage, Corrin sitting next to her with the scarf wrapped around her face. “We’ll be sure to get those tea leaves for your throat, Fl—” A quick jab from Corrin choked her off. “Lady Corrin! Y-Yeah, we’ll get those tea leaves right for you!”

“Make sure to take care of F-Flora,” the maid whispered, her voice hoarse. Leo nodded approvingly — she was a good actor. “And stay safe, L-Leo.”

“I will,” he promised. “Farewell.”

Slowly, hobbling as if she was sick, Flora turned to go back inside of the castle. Leo then turned Agnar and gently nudged him in the ribs, Felicia flicking the reins of her carriage. Unfortunately, they had to set a slow pace, otherwise the guards might grow suspicious. With every passing minute, Leo itched to kick Agnar in the flanks, but he restrained himself.  _ Just a few minutes longer.  _

Minutes turned into an hour, completely spent in silence. Finally, Leo spared a glance behind him, glancing at Felicia. “Any signs of people following us?”

“No, Lord Leo. No one’s coming.” Felicia grinned. “I… I think we’re in the clear.”

_ Excellent. _ “Then we’ve succeeded,” Leo said, letting Agnar lag behind until he was beside the carriage. He smiled as he saw Corrin’s wide eyed look at the world around them. “Well done, Sister.”

She actually jumped, then chuckled. “S-Sorry. I just thought my heart was gonna explode for a minute there…” Her hands slowly pulled away the scarf, exposing her face once more. “This is it…”

“The outside world,” Leo whispered softly. Though it wasn’t a fantastic view — even in spring, Nohr looked dull with its withering shrubbery and sparse amount of flowers — it was still more than Corrin had seen in years. Perhaps… perhaps all of her life.

Seeing her outside was worth all of the insults Xander could throw at him.

“This is what it’s like,” she murmured, crimson eyes looking every which way as the carriage rolled along. “It’s… It’s more wonderful than I thought.” With eyes closed, she inhaled deeply. “It smells so good out here…”

“The lilac are just starting to come into bloom,” Felicia said with a bright smile. “You’re very lucky, Lady Corrin. Last year, there weren’t any.”

_ Lucky… _ Leo suddenly froze as he saw something shining on Corrin’s cheeks. “Corrin?” he asked, his grip on Brynhildr tightening.  _ Damn it, was I wrong about that barrier?  _

“I-I just…” She swallowed thickly, then smiled at him, crimson eyes watery. “I don’t know how to thank you. This is better than anything I could have hoped for.” Quickly, she brushed her tears away. “S-Sorry, it just hit me.”

“Take your time,” Leo replied softly. He felt warm as she gazed around her in wonder, greedily drinking in each sight.  _ I’m happy for you, Corrin. _

“Oi!” a loud voice suddenly shouted. “There they are!”

“We’re here,” Leo announced, looking up to see the meadow. The forest stretched along one side, a river not too far from the edge of the clearing. It certainly was a charming spot, covered in the short-lived wildflowers of spring. Approaching them were Niles and Odin, bow and tome in hand. 

“Seems like your little play went well, milord,” Niles said appreciatively. 

“It’s all thanks to you, technically,” Leo said, dismounting from Agnar. “Without your roles, this plan never would have worked.”

“Thank my curse!” Odin proclaimed. “Legentius Humorhedge. Clearing people out of an area is nothing with that magnificent spell from the abyss!”

“More like from the latrine,” Niles muttered. “Smelled worse than a Windmire alleyway.” He sighed. “And getting the wig was no problem. Old connections. Thankfully, that craftsman is exiled. No need to trace anything back to us, mmm?”

Leo nodded appreciatively. “It is a remarkable likeness.”

“I’ll say,” Felicia said, tying the reins of the horses to a nearby tree. “It looks exactly like Big Sister’s hair. So natural too!”

“I’m flattered,” Niles said, that familiar smirk quirking up his lips. “It took four nights to finally find a body with the matching hair…”

Both Odin and Felicia let out a squeak. Niles chuckled. “Just kidding. Maybe.”

Leo sighed. “Enough with the banter. Let’s get going, shall we?” He blinked, then turned back to look at the carriage. Corrin still hadn’t climbed down. Her eyes were still wide, taking in the scenery. “Corrin?” he asked, stepping towards the carriage.

“Ah, sorry!” She blushed. “I just got distracted with… everything.” Leo stared as Corrin crept down from the carriage, delicately placing her feet on the ground as if the spell would shatter and she would be back at the Northern Fortress. “This…” One hand still clung to the seat, as if her body itself rebelled against this. 

He smiled, offering his hand to her. “Let’s go.”

And with his words, it was as if a spell was broken and she grinned from ear to ear. “This is amazing!” With a peal of laughter, she dashed forward, the picture of exuberance. Leo’s smile couldn’t help but grow at the sound.  _ It’s been so long since I’ve heard her laugh like that. _

The air was fresh and filled with the scent of wildflowers, though he pursed his lips at the rain clouds gathering on the horizon.  _ Bother. This was supposed to be a clear evening. _ Well, if his calculations were right, then the storm should clear up just in time for the meteor shower. Either way, he considered developing a temporary shelter with Brynhildr’s power. It wouldn’t do to have them completely soaked just before nightfall. 

He blinked as he saw Corrin heading towards the river. “Where are you off to?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Then, he had to hold in an unexpected burst of laughter at Corrin’s mudstained front.

Her face and pointed ears glowed like coals in a fireplace as she held up the culprit: Flora’s boots, dangerously high-heeled. “You know how I’ve never been good with heels?” she said sheepishly. 

Despite himself, he couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “After Camilla’s first set, we should have banned them entirely.”

“Agreed,” Corrin said, furtively looking towards the river. “Well, if you’ll excuse me…”

“Wait!” Odin shouted, his hand thrust forward in that ridiculous position of his that he favored. “The untold dangers of the riverside could be too much for you to handle! Let Odin Dark, proficient defender of fair maidens, escort you!”

Corrin’s face shot blood red again, and Leo blinked. “U-Um, it’s just something small. We really don’t need—”

“Lady Corrin is getting changed, so just  _ leave us alone!” _ Felicia yelled. Then, she froze, mouth comically open. “I-I mean… Oh goodness, I’m sorry, Sir Odin!” Leo’s smile only grew wider as she stammered something about being a horrible maid under her breath. 

Odin, for his part, was just as red as his eyes flitted between Corrin’s mudstained front and the bundle of clothes in Felicia’s arms. “M-My apologies,” he mumbled, scratching the back of his head. 

“Just come straight back after you change, Corrin,” Leo said, reaching into Agnar’s saddlebags for his philosophy book. 

“Right! See you in five!” And she took off down the hillside, bare feet pounding against grass as Felicia followed her. Leo smiled as her silver hair shone in the rare sunlight.

“Are you sure this is wise?” Niles asked. “If you’d like, I could follow them.” A familiar smirk twisted up his lips. “I’d make sure to keep the sound of Lady Corrin stripping only to my ears—”

“No,” Leo said firmly, mentally recoiling at the thought of his retainer seeing Corrin naked. “Remain here. You’ll need to head back to Castle Krakenburg soon anyhow.” He turned to Odin. “I assume that’s taken care of?” 

“Of course!” Odin proudly trumpeted. “I was questioned ceaselessly by Lord Xander, but I told them that it was a divine message from our great lord.”

“Meaning?” Niles asked.

“In other words, it seemed like you needed him for something, and I effortlessly dodged all of his questions,” Odin said, smiling smugly.

“Well done,” Leo said. “That makes me rest a little easier.” Though Camilla and Elise were unfortunately away, spending time together in the meadow as a family would be a wonderful gift for Xander as well. He smiled as he imagined his older brother’s face, delightfully shocked to meet with them under a sea of shooting stars. 

_ All according to plan. _

 

* * *

 

“There!” Felicia said, smiling as Corrin smoothed down the front of the dress. “How does it fit?”

“Perfect,” Corrin said. The dress was a light blue, and of course she wore her leggings underneath. A comfortable outfit for a nice evening in a meadow. “Where did you get this?”

“Oh, these are just Flora’s clothes that she wears on her days off,” Felicia explained, clasping her hands together. “I would have brought your regular outfits, Lady Corrin, but I figured with the disguise and all…”

“It’s completely fine,” Corrin said, smiling as she stared down at the dress. “Thank you so much, Felicia! You know, you seem a lot more reliable lately.”

Felicia blushed as pink as her hair. “Lady Corrin, you flatter me!”

Corrin chuckled. “Oh, you don’t have to get so worked up, Felicia. You know that I appreciate you. The both of you.”

“I know, I know. It’s just that… Well, I’m so happy for you!” Felicia laughed. “I never thought this day would come, to be honest. Lady Corrin finally outside of the fortress. And a meteor shower tonight too! I’m lucky I could tag along!”

Corrin smiled. “It’s a good point. This  _ is  _ the first time we’ve been outside together.” She turned to look at the river, taking everything in: the sound of water running over the rocks, the green trees, no matter how bare of needles they were… If she strained, she could even hear birds singing in the trees.  _ It’s all far more fantastic than I imagined… _ She shivered as the wind gusted past them, rubbing her arms.  _ And cold too. _

Suddenly, Felicia gasped, and Corrin cringed as the maid’s outfit went flying into the air. “Don’t worry, Lady Corrin!” she shouted, taking off after the runaway clothes. “I’ll get them!”

“I’ll help!” she shouted back, taking off as well. The stones were slick and delightfully cool underneath her feet, and with a leap, she was able to grab the apron. “Got it!”

“And that’s the dress!” Felicia said, managing to snag it from midair. “Phew!” Then, she grimaced. “Oh no…”

Corrin blinked to see the headdress stuck in the water, near a small broken bridge. “Don’t worry, I’ll get it!” she said, racing towards the water’s edge.

“B-But be careful, Lady Corrin! It’s slippery!”

Corrin smiled as the water covered her feet, then her calves. The tug of the water helped propel her forward as she made her way towards the white lacey cap.  _ This really does feel amazing. _ There were even small fish, and she couldn’t help but giggle as they swam around her legs, tickling her skin.  _ Ah, almost there… _ Unfortunately, the hat was perched on a broken post, in a deeper section of the river. She’d have to wade a bit.

_ Sorry, Flora, _ she thought, biting her lip as she pushed her way forward into the river.  _ G-Gods, it’s cold. _ Her feet sunk into sand as she crept slowly towards the decrepit bridge. Waist deep now, she reached forward, leaning as far as she could.  _ Almost got— _

Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she gasped as something sharp cut against her left leg, ripping through leggings and skin as easily as a hot knife through butter. A scream tore from her lips as she pitched forward, the riverbed disappearing beneath her feet. Water crashed into her mouth, and she choked as suddenly she went under the surface.

_ Gods, no! _ Xander had tried to teach her how to swim once, but she’d never had the chance to practice. Kicking furiously with her legs, she managed to break the water’s surface, but barely had time to gulp in another breath before the waves tugged her back down.  _ No! _ She tried kicking again, but the water was just so  _ cold _ . It felt like she’d already ended an especially rough spar with Xander, the way her muscles were locking up.

_ “Lady Corrin!” _ She could vaguely hear Felicia’s voice above the churning water, but even as she clawed for the surface, the current only pulled her down deeper and deeper.

_ L-Leo… Help… _

She reached for the dim rays of light above one last time, then couldn’t hold her breath any longer. Water rushed into her mouth, and she choked as she tried vainly to breathe in. Everything was so cold and dark and the water was crushing her, dragging her down, suffocating her…

Drowning her.

_ I-I’m sorry… _

She reached up towards the last glimmers of light she could see before everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silly Leo, don't you know that nothing ever goes according to plan?
> 
> Sorry for the rough updating schedule (also, this rough chapter). I've been running around like crazy trying to get my life in order. Fortunately, I just got a job, and I start this Wednesday. It's an early morning job too, so that'll give me plenty of time to think. I hope. 
> 
> You'll notice that I deviate from the dialogue a bit with Leo and Corrin's interchanges. Japan!Kamui seems to be a lot more demure and sweet than Murica!Corrin, so I had to do a bit of balancing. I know that there are definitely some rough sections in here, but I decided that I just needed to post it, and I'll go back and fix it eventually.


	4. A Younger Brother’s Anguish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Don’t worry, we’ll make it back. Compared to the days inside the Fortress, anything is an experience that’ll make me stronger._

“Niles!” Leo shouted, breathless as he raced towards his retainers. “Did you find them?” 

Niles stared at the ground, arms folded tightly against his chest. “I’m sorry, Lord Leo.”

Leo gritted his teeth. “Odin?”

For once, his character was subdued. “No luck,” he answered quietly. “I didn’t see them.”

_ Damn it, where are they?! Where could they have gone?  _ A thousand ugly possibilities flooded Leo’s mind, and he clenched his fists hard to keep himself from panicking.  _ I never should have let them out of my sight! _

“I apologize, my lord,” Niles murmured, refusing to look upward from the ground. “It’s my fault. I said something stupid, and it distracted your focus.”

Leo shook his head. “No, Niles. There’s no point in blaming yourself. It was my responsibility to keep them safe.”  _ And now they’re gone… _ “Just focus on finding my sister and Felicia.”

“Hey!” Odin’s voice rang from the edge of the meadow. “I found something!”

Leo sprinted forward, wincing as he slid down the slope into the woods. Odin stood near the river’s edge, holding something in his hands…

A dirty maid’s uniform.

“This must be what Corrin changed from,” Leo said, taking the dress from Odin. Despite the mud on the front, there were no signs of rips or tears. Thankfully, there was no blood either. He swallowed as he saw the discarded shoes on the riverbank.  _ So, she changed into a spare set of clothes, left these behind… Then what? _

Niles knelt down, his thumb running over the dirt. “Two sets of footprints, one bare, one with maid’s shoes, heading towards the river. But none return.”

“You’re the expert, Niles,” Leo said, his voice strained. “What do you think happened?”

“Tough to tell, milord,” Niles replied quietly. “They could have been carried off by something, or fallen into the river. There’s no signs of a struggle, but if someone was swift…” He sighed, grasping his bow. “Or if Lady Corrin trusted the target, she didn’t anticipate the attack. Your sister, with all due respect, milord, would be rather naive. If a close friend dropped her and carried her off through the river…”

“What are you saying?” Odin asked, his eyes wide.

“We could have been betrayed by that maid and she kidnapped Lady Corrin,” Niles answered grimly.

_ Felicia? _ The bumbling maid who shattered tea sets? Thinking of her as a kidnapper nearly made him laugh, the horrifying situation aside. Though Leo knew all too well to not judge a book by its cover.  _ It could be possible… _

“I-I don’t believe it,” Odin whispered, staring down at the river.

“Who knows? No matter one’s appearance, you can never know what they’re thinking. She’s a tough one,” Niles said, staring at the churning water. “Tough enough to drop her, then carry her through the river, perhaps. The current isn’t as strong here. It would be an easy way to sneak her off, perhaps sell her to an underground buyer.”

Leo couldn’t stop his hands from shaking at that thought. His sister, sold in the Windmire black market?

“What’s our next move, milord?” Niles asked, rising from his crouch.

“Stay here and continue searching.” Leo’s grip on Brynhildr tightened.  _ Keep it together. You have to be rational, calm. Do what no one else can. _

“You’re leaving, Lord Leo?” Odin asked. “Why?”

“I’ll return to the Northern Fortress and speak with Flora,” Leo replied quietly. He simply didn’t have enough information here to conclude anything, despite Niles’s claims. And besides that, they didn’t have enough manpower to conduct a full investigation. Corrin could be miles away from them by now, alone or with Felicia. He sighed, then crept back up the hillside, moving towards Agnar.  _ This means I’ll have to go to Xander. _

_ Damn it all.  _

 

* * *

 

“...pen your ...es…”

_ Huh? _

“Open… eyes…”

_ Where… Where am I? _

“Open your eyes! Come on, Lady Corrin, wake up!”

Water burst from Corrin’s mouth as she coughed, greedily gasping in air. She cringed at how raw her throat felt, then finally opened her eyes.

The forest was darker around them than she remembered, sunlight barely filtering through the trees. The roar of rushing water echoed in her ears as she glanced around. She smiled as a familiar shock of pink hair floated into view. “Felicia?” she whispered, staring at her maid. 

“Thank goodness,” Felicia said, smiling back. “You really scared me there, Lady Corrin. Gods, I don’t know what I would have done if you had a-actually…” Her lower lip wobbled dangerously.

“What happened?” Corrin asked, groaning as she sat up. “I feel like I got hit with a sledgehammer…”

“Well, you kinda took a tumble into the river,” Felicia explained, tugging on her arm to help her up. 

Corrin froze as the memories came tumbling back into her mind: cold water, the powerful current, thrashing around to escape, and then…

Nothing. Nothing except blackness. 

“I fell into the river, didn’t I?” she asked, staring up at Felicia. “And you saved me.” She swallowed down the dregs of her fear, pushing it back down. The feeling of the water smothering her still felt entirely too real. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Felicia didn’t smile. “I… You have no right to thank me, Lady Corrin. It’s my fault this all happened.” She shivered, rubbing at her arms, and for the first time Corrin realized that she was soaked through, just like she was. And though it was spring still, the air was cold. Night would be falling soon — Leo had taken them out of the fortress mid afternoon. She had no idea how long she’d been in the water, but judging by the light shining through the trees…   

Gods. They really  _ were _ in a mess.

“It’s my fault, Felicia,” Corrin corrected gently, offering her a warm smile. “You warned me, but I still went out into the water. The blame rests on me.” And, despite the fact that her muscles still felt locked up, she slowly stood. A jolt of pain coursed up her leg, and she bit back tears as she stared down.  _ Drat, I forgot… _ To her surprise, a makeshift bandage had already been applied, and she noted with some relief that the edge of her skirt was ripped and torn.  _ Gods bless you, Felicia. _ “We need to get back to the others. As soon as possible.” Spending the night out here in the woods, alone, was certainly not an option.

“Th-There’s a slight problem with that,” Felicia murmured, her eyes wide as she rose to join her. “It seems like we’ve drifted pretty far. I’m not sure where this even is…”

_ Of course.  _ Corrin hugged at herself, resisting the urge to let her teeth chatter.  _ We’re lost.  _

“But we can make our way back!” Felicia said, a bright spark in her eyes as she pointed at the river. “If we just follow the river back in the opposite direction, we’ll eventually end up where we started, right?”

Corrin nodded, but her relief faded as she glanced at the waterfall above them. It couldn’t be more than twenty feet, but she’d never climbed walls before, and there didn’t seem to be another way up besides the river. In any other situation, she’d go for it, but with her leg the way it was… “I don’t know if that’s an option, Felicia. I’m sorry.” She grimaced as she stared down at the bandage. “I’ll just slow you down.”

“No, no, no!” Felicia exclaimed quickly, throwing her hands up. “It’s no problem! We’ll just think of another way to get back. Right?”

As Corrin stared at Felicia, she realized that her maid was terrified. Though this wasn’t her first time outside, Corrin could tell that she was scared of the woods. Felicia’s whole body was on edge, like some of the guards who’d had too much to drink when she was younger, scurrying around the fortress. She swallowed, then smiled. “Ah, it’ll be fine, Felicia. After all, I can still walk. We’ll just have to find a way around, and then we’ll be back with Leo and his retainers before you know it.” She started walking into the foliage, pushing some branches out of her way. Best to get started now, before it got too dark. 

“L-Lady Corrin!” Felicia cried, hurriedly chasing after her. “But we have no idea where we’re going in this place! A-And your leg could get infected!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll make it back,” Corrin said, trying to keep her voice bright. “Compared to the Fortress, anything is an experience that’ll make me stronger. We’ll get through this together.”

Felicia grimaced, then nodded. “Right! I might be a failure as a capable maid, but I’ll get it together! We’ll get back before we even know it!”

“Right,” Corrin said, smiling as she ducked under a tree branch. “And besides, we’ll have a great story to tell when we get back, right?” She blinked as Felicia stopped dead in her tracks. “Felicia, what—”

Then she heard it: rustling.

“Wh-What is that?” she whispered, drawing close to Felicia. Gods, but with the shadows around them, being in this forest was no game. 

“M-Maybe some wild animals?” Felicia asked, her voice shaking as bad as her shoulders. 

“Yeah,” Corrin said, trying to keep her voice level. “Like… Like a rabbit, right?”

A sudden  _ roar _ nearly split her ears, and they both screamed as something  _ huge _ burst through the trees, letting out another bellow that rent the air. Corrin scrambled backwards as she took in the thing, her eyes wide. It was easily over ten feet tall, its skin a blood red that almost glowed like fire in the dying light. And its face… Corrin wanted to gag at the smushed features, the way that the muscles bulged unnaturally from its frame. “What  _ is _ that?” she cried, then screamed again as another emerged from the shadows.  _ Another one?! _

“Stay back, Lady Corrin!” Felicia shouted, and despite her shaking legs nearly knocking against each other, she pushed Corrin behind her, spreading her arms in front as if she were a shield. “S-Stay away from us!”

“Felicia, no!” With a quick tug, Corrin pulled her out of the way of the monster’s fist, but grimaced as it clipped her on the head. She fell to the ground, grimacing as something tore from her head.  _ What the… _

“Hey!” Felicia shouted. “Give that back! Sir Niles made that for us!” And to Corrin’s shock, she actually  _ charged _ the beast, lunging for the wig. 

“Felicia,  _ no!”  _ Her heart felt like it’d been frozen as she watched Felicia jump for the blue wig.  _ She’s going to die— _

“Hah! There you are, ya stinking brutes!”

Corrin actually gasped as an enormous axe blade buried itself in the monster’s neck, cleanly beheading the menace as if it was made of paper. Felicia shrieked as the headless beast fell to the ground with a rattling  _ thud. _ And behind the monster was…

A woman?

She had long blonde curls, but they were mussed up from activity, and her face was sweaty. A scowl made her face wrinkle as she pulled her axe back up. She wore a blue uniform, stained with large black smudges. “All right!” she said, grinning madly. “Now to keep it up!” She swung with her axe at the other monster, but it simply bellowed and ran off into the woods, breaking tree branches in its path. The woman’s scowl only deepened. “Hey, bastard, don’t go running off on me! Gods… I’m part of the National Defense! Why do I have to hunt these things down? Pain in  _ my _ ass…” 

Corrin swallowed, then cleared her throat. “U-Um…”

The soldier gasped, and suddenly her whole demeanor changed, dropping her axe to place her hands on her chest in a rather… girly pose. “Oh my gods, there are people here? I’m  _ so _ sorry, I didn’t even notice!” She let out a disturbingly high-pitched giggle. “Dear, dear, are you hurt anywhere?”

Despite Felicia’s groaning as she sat up, she seemed to be all right. At least that beast, whatever it was, hadn't crushed her. Corrin swallowed, then stood up, grimacing as her leg throbbed. “We’re fine,” she said softly. “But…

“Who are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the real drama starts. 
> 
> Despite his panic, I don't think Leo realizes how bad this is until his... famous encounter with Xander next chapter. He's firmly in denial mode right now. Because really, how much trouble could Corrin get into in the forest, alone with a maid?
> 
> Buckle your seatbelts. There's a reason people like the next chapter. (Also, Felicia's words at the start of the Corrin section is a shout out to Breath of the Wild. Couldn't resist XD)


	5. Impatience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I thought I could protect her! By myself!”  
>  “But! You couldn’t, could you?” _

_ Hm… That maid from earlier certainly looks charming. What sort of tea would match her? Camomile? Peppermint? I’ll have to ask Lady Flora one of these days about unique brews… _

_ Hmm? _

Laslow froze as he saw Prince Leo walking down the hall towards Xander’s study, his back bowed by some invisible weight. “Prince Leo?” he asked, blinking. “Lord Xander is waiting in his study, as you asked him to do. I heard from Odin that you needed him for something?” For the first time, he noticed Leo’s face and froze. “W-What’s wrong?” he stammered. “You’re as white as a sheet!”

Leo’s eyes were grim, but his body language conveyed pure dread, crushing and absolute. “It’s nothing,” he said, his voice similarly dead. “Don’t worry about it.”

“R-Right,” Laslow murmured. “I’ll let Lord Xander know that you’ve arrived.”

“Has he spoken to our sisters?” Leo suddenly asked.

Laslow blinked. “No. No letters sent or anything of that sort. Why?”

“Nothing,” Leo repeated. “Thank you. I’ll… I’ll go in to see him now.”

Laslow watched Leo approach the study.  _ That’s the gait of a man who’s walking to his death.  _ He'd seen it a depressing amount of times before.

_ Naga above, what’s happened here? _

 

* * *

 

Xander’s eyes narrowed to slits, the quill in his hand snapping. Even with the aid of his armor, it was a terrifying sight. “So,” he said, his voice soft but as dangerous as a sword. “Corrin is  _ gone?” _

“Yes,” Leo answered, letting his words damn him.

“Are you sure that’s true, Lord Leo?” Laslow asked, hovering in the corner behind Xander anxiously. He knew the storm that was brewing in this room. So did Leo.

He’d come anyway. He needed help.

“I’m certain. I spent time looking for her myself. It’s as the patrol said. I’ve sent Niles and Odin out to keep looking. There were shoes by the river, so she may have been swept away. I don’t want to think about it, but… she may have been kidnapped.” The words tumbled out of his mouth, so cold, so emotionless. Yes, good. Don’t feel. Don’t experience the panic, the fear, the guilt. Push it all away. 

Slowly, Xander rose from his chair, both hands planted on the desk as if he were preparing to launch himself over it. “Leo…”

He inhaled a preparatory breath. He expected the harsh words. He expected the anger in his elder brother’s eyes.

What he didn’t expect was the strike to his face, knocking him off balance. 

Leo grunted as he crashed into a table, barely managing to hold himself upright.  _ G-Gods… _ His cheek stung, and he could feel the small cuts that Xander’s gauntlet had imprinted there. Trembling, he righted himself, resisting the urge to open Brynhildr.  _ He’s never… Never struck one of us before… _

“Lord Xander!” Laslow shouted, his eyes wide with terror. “Why would you—”

The look on Xander’s face silenced him.

“Don’t you understand what you’ve done?” he growled, stalking towards Leo. “Going behind my back? Defying direct orders?  _ Why? _ Why would you do such a thing?” Leo flinched at the betrayal, the  _ hurt _ in his voice. “If  _ anything _ happens to Corrin, I will never forgive you!”

“Xander…” Damn it, why were tears building in his eyes? From the pain? From the fear?

From the guilt?

“You should know this by now!” Xander shouted, grasping Leo’s shoulders. “If Father ever hears word of this, do you think he’ll show mercy? Gods, Leo, he could lock you up for years on this alone!”

“I know that,” Leo whispered. “And if it comes to that… I won’t resist. I’ll accept whatever punishment he deems fit. Even execution, if need be!” The words tumbled out of his mouth so easily. Yet he meant every breath of it. He had from the second he’d enacted this plan.

Xander recoiled from him as if he’d been the one to be struck. “Leo…”

He couldn’t restrain his trembling, his whole body quivering like he’d been drenched in a rainstorm. “Xander, lying to you, things turning out the way they have…” He gritted his teeth. Damn his stupid emotions! “I am truly sorry for it all. But I…”

_ “Please come back soon, all right?” _

_ “I’ve been waiting to do this since I was little. Guess I’ll just wait another three years. Not too long, right?” _

_ It’s just… I was hoping to be able to go to the meadows this year.” _

_ “I don’t want to go back inside. This is still pretty rare.” _

_ “I mean… because what are the chances I’ll ever get to go to the ocean?” _

_ “I’m tired of people telling me no. If I learn how to fight, then maybe Father won’t think I’m helpless or stupid. Maybe… Maybe I’ll be able to go outside!” _

_ “Will I ever be able to go outside?” _

_ You deserve better from us than this life…  _

“I couldn’t give up,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I couldn’t give up on getting Corrin outside! It’s too horrible for her to be locked in there any more than she already has!” Her lonely smile was the only thing he could see now, the way she pretended to be happy when inevitably they had to part. The way she pretended that she was just fine, restricted in a cold fortress, spending her days in solitude. To see her there, caged for a second longer…

It was hell, watching her live that life. No, that  _ existence. _

“Admit it,” Xander growled. “You didn’t do this for Corrin. You did it for your own selfish desires! To gratify your pride!”

The words stung, but they were not complete lies. He  _ had _ let his pride make him act rashly. But to consider that was all his brother thought of it… “Even so, I wanted to show her that meadow!”

“Did you not think that Corrin could  _ die _ because of that?” Xander bellowed. 

“I thought I could protect her!” Leo shouted back.

_ “But you couldn’t!” _

Leo’s breath left him more than if he’d been struck in the stomach.

_ Weak. I couldn’t leave this to you. Protecting someone whilst fighting is your weakness. Not good enough. Not smart enough. Not strong enough. You’ve never been able to match up, and you never will. Corrin would have been safe with Xander. She never would have been taken. _

_ You failed her. _

His whole body was so tense that he felt he might break. Or was it under the weight of his failure? The fact that due to a few moments of carelessness, Corrin was gone? Finally, it all sank in: the panic in finding her shoes on the riverbank, the dread of Niles’s accusations, the terror of approaching Xander’s office. All of it pressed down on him, nearly smothering him. She was gone, missing, perhaps wounded, crying out for help alone. And he’d let that happen. He’d risked that so that she could be free for a day.

Yet… The look on her face as she had breathed in the meadow air, seeing the trees and wildflowers, the  _ joy _ in her laughter… 

“So.” Leo swallowed down the lump in his throat, hands balling into fists. “Leaving Corrin locked away in that fortress, unable to see the outside world… Unable to see a simple meadow since childhood… That’s just  _ fine?” _

Xander gritted his teeth. “I don’t—”

“But if you let these days slip away, then none of it will ever become a reality!” Leo shouted, his vision going blurry. The tears couldn’t be restrained now, and neither could his anger. “How long can you placate her with ‘next time’? How long can you lie about that, Xander? Will that ever grant her wishes? Where is the  _ justice _ in all of that?” 

_ It breaks my heart… Seeing her locked away in there…  _

“What’s so  _ wrong,” _ he shouted, rage and grief scalding his throat and eyes, “with just  _ wanting to do what I can?” _

“Stop avoiding the issue, Leo!” Xander bellowed.

_ “I’M NOT AVOIDING ANYTHING!” _

His scream shocked even himself. But he couldn’t hold it back, couldn’t restrain his fury against his brother who was so content to let Corrin waste away, locked behind cold stone walls and iron gates. How could he watch Corrin suffer like this without a care in the world? How could he ignore her pleas to go outside, even for just one day? 

How could he  _ abandon _ her like that?

Leo’s chest was so painfully tight, his whole body shaking as tears dripped from his chin, but he did not back down. He wouldn’t. Before, he had contained himself when he grew angry at Xander. He had locked his lips because there would be no point in challenging him, his older brother who the court fawned over, who their father favored. He was the second prince of Nohr, and Xander would always be his superior.

But not now. He couldn’t stay silent now. He had to speak, to fight back.

For Corrin’s sake.

“You disappoint me.”

Leo turned his head away, squeezing his eyes.  _ I always have, haven’t I? _

“I thought you wiser than this, Leo,” Xander muttered. “But to be swayed by such childish ideals…” He sighed. “Justice is an illusion. It always has been. There is no such thing as fairness in this life. I hoped you had learned this lesson by now, but… perhaps today will teach it to you.”

Despite himself, a choked sob escaped him.  _ Damn it! Damn it all! _

“You’re lucky Elise and Camilla are in Cyrkensia,” Xander said quietly. “The distance will prevent the news from reaching them. The only time we notify them of what’s happened…” He inhaled deeply. “... is if Corrin is dead.”

_ D-Dead? _ Leo’s blood turned to ice.

Xander grasped Siegfried’s hilt, then crossed to the door, leaving them in his wake. “Lord Xander, where are you going?” Laslow asked, his voice trembling, face pale.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Xander asked, his eyes dark. “I’m going to look for Corrin.”

“Wha… Wait a second, Lord Xander!” Laslow chased after him, barely managing to squeeze through the door before it slammed shut.

And Leo stood alone.

_H-How…_ _How could…_ His cheek throbbed, but that was nothing compared to the horrible pain in his chest, the tightness that robbed him of breath. Before, yelling at Xander, he’d been filled with fire, but now he felt so bitterly cold. Everything was so utterly wrong, so completely empty. The world went dark around him as he buried his face in his hands. _A-All I wanted… All I wanted was to make her happy. Her and everyone else…_

_ So why? Why did this happen? _

He sunk to his knees, then finally allowed himself to weep.   


 

* * *

“Wait!” Laslow yelled, chasing after his liege to the stables. Lord Xander’s back was rod straight, his stride perfectly poised. Yet Laslow could see the strain in his lord’s frame, the way that his hands were balled into fists to keep them from shaking. He still couldn’t believe that he’d struck his own brother. A balled fist in armor, even. A man would have to hold back all of his strength to not break bones. Though Prince Leo looked well enough, Xander’s strike would bruise.

_ He’s never been this angry before. Not with me, not with his brother…  _

_ Not with himself. _

Laslow knew beneath the anger and glares that really, his lord didn’t just blame Leo. He’d always had a soft spot for the girl in the Northern Fortress.

Still, it didn’t forgive what he had done, nor what he was about to do.

“Please wait, Lord Xander!” he cried, finally managing to catch up with Lord Xander’s long, swift strides. Gods, but the man had  _ legs. _

Finally, Xander stopped, then turned sharply to face him. “What?”

“Wh-What’s the plan?” Laslow asked, trying his best to not sound winded. “Where will you go to search for Lady Corrin?”

“Places Corrin would go,” Xander said flatly, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

“And where would those be?” Laslow asked, exasperation bleeding into his voice. “Lord Xander, there are far too many possibilities, you won’t find her in time!” He crept towards him, supplicating. “Please, go back and talk to your brother. Hear Lord Leo out. Perhaps he knows—”

“There’s nothing to hear!” And Xander was turned again, striding towards the stables. 

“Milord, I understand how you feel, but this is ridiculous!” Laslow said, irritation bleeding through him. Naga bless him, but Xander could be as stubborn as a mule sometimes. “You need to listen—”

“You have a great deal of nerve to be lecturing me.”

Laslow swallowed. Here, in this kingdom, he was a sworn vassal and retainer to a prince. No matter what he had been before, he couldn’t cross the boundaries of his station.

Despite how much he’d like to smack Xander across the head so he could think clearly. 

“My apologies,” he said quietly, bowing his head. 

He expected Xander to go and leave him behind. Instead the man sighed, turning to face him. “Laslow, do you know how many princes and princesses of Nohr there once were?”

Laslow blinked at the odd question. “I don’t follow.”

“My father was a feeling man, once,” Xander said quietly. “He had many mistresses, that later became concubines. They bore children together, my father and those women, and those were my brothers and sisters. I once had so many…” Laslow froze as he saw the emptiness in Xander’s eyes, the chasms there that only pain and loss could carve out. “Some fell in battle. Others were executed for rebellion and murder. One was taken to Hoshido. And the rest were caught in the power struggle as the concubines vied for my father’s favor. They fell, one by one. Poison, the sword, even beaten to death with bare hands… It doesn’t matter. None of them remain except for my siblings and I.”

The coldness and fatigue in his words scared Laslow more than the words themselves.  _ This was… commonplace to him. _ He had seen destruction before, perhaps on a grander scale than could ever exist in Xander’s worst nightmares, but never had he seen sibling turn against sibling, shedding their own blood… “I don’t believe it,” he whispered.

“I’ve carried those memories with me,” Xander murmured. “As well as the regrets. I couldn’t save those who needed me most. Now I’m in the position to do something. If anything happens to Corrin, Leo won’t be left unscathed. And if Elise and Camilla ever discovered it, Corrin’s loss would destroy them.” His fist tightened. “We must avoid that… At all costs.”

Laslow was stunned into silence.  _ How… How can he bear it? _

Sigurd was brought to Xander, and he mounted the black stallion in a smooth, easy motion. “I’m going to search for Corrin on my own.” His voice was cold again, emotionless despite the hurt in his eyes. “For someone that doesn’t understand, you have no right to interfere.” With a kick to the flanks, the horse charged forward, leaving Laslow standing there in the misty twilight. 

_ Oh, but I do understand, Lord Xander. I know how it feels to lose your family. I know that pain, that guilt. _ How many times had he seen his parents’ faces in the dark bitter watches of the night, screaming his name as he fled, abandoning them to their deaths?  _ It still hurts. It will never stop hurting. Just as you won’t stop hurting over those deaths… _

_ That’s why I can’t ignore this. No matter what you say, I’m going with you. _

Only a few minutes later, and he rode out of Castle Krakenburg on his own mare, following his liege into the night darkness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, Leo. As fun as this chapter was to write, it was also excruciating. Mainly because of Leo's passion to save Corrin from her loneliness, only to be brutally shut down by Xander. The kid has always felt inferior. Xander's just hammered the last nail in the coffin.
> 
> I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. As this is the most pivotal moment in the Drama CD (and by far the best, if you ask me) I hope it can sort of compare to the emotions that the VAs put into this scene. Man, I nearly cried when I first heard it. Hopefully this version adds some depth. (crosses fingers)
> 
> (Also, yay for Laslow and being the only level-headed person in this group of angsty, overly emotional brothers)


	6. In the Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _I know your pain and worry very well… But…If you lose sight of what you can do… You’ll regret it for sure. I want you to always be able to smile..._

“The exit to the forest is right this way!” the soldier said, waving her hand with a cheery smile. “And then we’ll come to a path that leads straight back towards that fortress you were talking about.”

“Thanks so much,” Corrin said, smiling back. “You really saved our lives back there.”

The soldier waved her hand airily, her blonde curls bouncing. “Oh, please! No skin off my nose. I’m glad I was able to reach you in time. But…” She giggled. “Both of you are soaked to the bone. Did you fall into the river or something?”

Felicia also laughed, a nervous squeak. “S-Something like that.”

“Hm. Well, you certainly are some clumsy maids,” the soldier remarked, her voice suddenly dry and calloused. “Getting lost on an errand, falling into a river… But I guess I’m out of my assigned area, so I can’t say much.” She paused, lips pursing. “So, your names were… Felicia and Flora, right?”

“Yes!” Felicia answered, her voice a little too quick. Corrin stared at the ground. 

“Felicia,” she whispered. The maid cocked her head, looking at her. “We’re lying about my name,” Corrin said, her hands rubbing together. “Are you sure that it’s all right?”

“Of course,” Felicia said, though her voice was strained. “If His Majesty ever found out you were out here, we’d all be waiting for the executioner’s axe.”

Corrin’s throat constricted at that. “I-I guess. But the monster ripped away my wig, so I don’t look like her anymore.” She was glad to have it gone — it had been hot and scratchy — but if that costed her disguise…

“It can’t be helped,” Felicia said nervously. “We’ll just get by with you using Flora’s name. Besides, do you think we’ll ever see this woman again?”

“Hey,” the soldier asked, her blue eyes narrowing. “What are you two whispering about?”

“It’s nothing,” Corrin said quickly, clasping her hands in her lap. 

“Nothing at all!” Felicia proclaimed, her voice unnaturally bright and peppy. “By the way, what in the world were those monsters from before? I’ve never seen things like those before.”

“Oh, those.” The soldier sighed, flipping a strand of blonde hair behind her shoulder. “They started showing up not too long ago. I guess they’re a new breed of Faceless that went berserk.”

“Faceless? Berserk?” Corrin tried her best to keep up. 

The soldier nodded, a disgusted sneer twisting her lips. “Yeah, and it’s  _ such _ a bother. Just because the Royal Guard can’t get off their fat asses and do something about it, they hand it to us National Defense troops to clear them all out.” She suddenly giggled. “Oops. Sorry about that… A lady should be more dignified with her speech.”

“I guess… they must really rely on you,” Corrin said, smiling weakly. “I mean, this is a pretty important job.”

The soldier giggled again, waving her hand dismissively. “Hardly. We’re just playthings to them.”

Corrin blinked. “What?”

“We’re just expendable, in other words,” the woman said, letting out another sigh. “It’s fine if we die. Just think about it: if the Royal Guard was caught up in all of this and died, that would lower the army’s overall power in war. Plus, it’s expensive. Compared to them, there are plenty of National Defense soldiers. And those soldiers are so desperate for a handful of coin that they’ll do  _ anything _ . And if a handful of them get themselves killed, well… No skin off their nose.”

The soldier’s words were so chilling, cold, like she was talking about a math equation. “That… That’s horrible,” Corrin whispered. Thinking about human lives like that: who was expendable and who wasn’t, who you could afford to lose… It jarred every fiber of her being. 

“That’s life,” the soldier said matter-of-factly. “But I do wonder how Benny’s doing.”

“Benny?” Felicia asked. 

“He’s my squadmate,” the soldier explained. “Giant guy, built like a rock. But he’s a shy little man, you know? He might have kicked the bucket back there just from the stress alone…”

Corrin cringed at the words. “I-I’m sure he’s just fine! He’s probably waiting for you!”

The soldier laughed. “Well, thank you! And I’ve got no plans to die out here. Still gotta find myself a man with lots of gold, and there are the parents… If it wasn’t for them, I’d be working some other job for sure.” Her blue eyes were wistful, and Corrin wondered how in the world someone could ever think of her as just an expense.  _ Do Leo and Xander do that?  _ No, they wouldn’t. They were better than that.

“I was meaning to ask,” Corrin said, increasing her pace so that she was matching her stride with the soldier. “What’s your—”

Suddenly, a clap of thunder shook the ground, and the soldier groaned as rain started falling. “Seriously?” she asked. “Now my hair’s gonna get all wet! And…” Her eyes narrowed, and Corrin froze as she leaned forward, as if searching for something. Furtively she rubbed at her arms, feeling a chill as a light mist started to settle around them.  _ Goodness, it’s so cold… _

“U-Um, is everything all right, miss?” Felicia asked, her voice quivering.

The soldier hesitated, then reached into the pack on her back. “Here,” she murmured, and Corrin’s breath hitched as she handed her an iron broadsword in its sheath. Though it looked cheap, it was  _ real _ , and Corrin’s hands shook as she took it. “Just in case,” the soldier said, handing Felicia a pair of knives. “Sorry. They’re pretty lightweight, but it’s all I’ve got.”

“But why are you giving them to us?” Felicia asked, her own hands shaking as she accepted the weapons.

“Well, it’s like I said earlier,” the soldier said, her face set in a grim scowl. “You never know when one of those rogue Faceless will show up. From here on out… I’m gonna ask you girls to look after yourselves. You’re cute, but I’d rather not die out here in these woods.” She flashed them a grin. “And in exchange, you don’t have to protect me!”

Corrin paled at the words. 

“Ah, sorry for bringing up something so disturbing,” the soldier said, not sounding very sorry at all. “But if you’re going to be here, you’ll need to be prepared to face death.” She continued her way into the mist, and Felicia quickly followed her, darting into the shadows. Corrin stood there for a moment, reflecting on those words.  _ Prepared… to face death… _

_ Dusk and darkness. Am I really going to die out here? _

 

* * *

 

Rain fell around Xander, metallic pings echoing in his ears as the water beat against his armor. It chilled his skin, darting around the cracks to the padded clothing underneath, but he paid it no heed. His path had led him to the Northern Fortress, and then to the surrounding countryside.  _ She’ll be here. I know she will be. _ It had been several hours, however, and he felt a chill not just from the cold rain.

_ How could he do this? _ Leo was rational, logical, cold and calculating. To see him standing in front of him, screaming like a madman and raving about Corrin’s happiness… It had startled Xander almost more than the shock of Corrin’s disappearance.  _ Why would he act this way? _ His brother was no fool — he knew consequences. Yet the more that Xander tried to make sense of his behavior, the more irrational it seemed. And while Leo was many things, he certainly wasn’t irrational. 

The sound of galloping hooves slowing to a trot didn’t surprise him. Laslow, despite his faults, was a loyal man. Xander could appreciate that. The retainer’s dappled mare pulled aside Sigurd, and Xander spared him a glance. Laslow wore a cloak to keep out the rain. “Lord Xander,” he said, voice breathless from his gallop. Xander didn’t respond. “It’s, uh, raining,” Laslow said weakly. “Here. I brought you this. You must be frozen.” 

The cloak he proffered was a touching gesture, but Xander shook his head. “Save it for Corrin,” he said quietly. “She’ll be struggling with the cold by now.” Though it had been years since her last spell, he could still remember his little princess confined to her room by another fever, fighting for breath. Her body couldn’t fight off the sicknesses of the Northern Fortress like he and his siblings could. 

Laslow sighed, and Xander watched as he tucked the cloak away into a saddlebag.  _ He’s still frustrated. _ Xander didn’t resent him for that. But the man just didn’t understand the weight on Xander’s shoulders. Corrin had to be found, and both her life and Leo’s hung in the balance. He couldn’t just sit and do nothing. And though he’d been harsh with Leo, it was certainly better than the punishment he’d receive if Corrin wasn’t found. 

_ I have to find her. I have to do what no one else can. _ The thought of Corrin struggling to survive out here weighed on his heart. 

Sigurd flicked his ears, letting out a whinny as he trotted to a halt. Xander frowned at the stallion’s behavior, then relaxed as he spotted the reason for his stop: a shack stood in front of them, once a lively home, but now a dilapidated ruin. He remembered this place from when he was younger — a thieving hideout. 

“Please be careful, Lord Xander,” Laslow said, his voice muffled by the heavy rain. “This place used to be a hideout for bandits.”

“I’m aware,” Xander said quietly, dismounting Sigurd, then tying the horse to the hitching post out front. He inhaled slowly, then placed his hand on Siegfried. “I’m going inside to investigate. If you can’t follow me, then return to the Northern Fortress.”

“You know I can’t do that,” Laslow said, already dismounting. Despite the pressure of their situation, Xander smiled. He’d had several retainers over the years, but Laslow was one of the most faithful. The smile faded as he approached the door of the building, pushing it open with a solid shove. The hinges creaked as he stepped inside. Vainly, he searched for a lantern or torch, but even if there had been something, he had the feeling that they would have been soaked by rainwater anyway. Puddles splashed under his feet as he continued through the doorway, entering the darkness inside. 

Laslow was at his side a moment later, breath misting in front of him as he scanned the area. “Well,” he said, voice quiet. “It doesn’t seem like anything is out of place.” It was difficult to tell with the shadows in this building. Xander slowly drew Siegfried, but the sword contained the essence of darkness — hardly a help to lighting up a room. It was enough, however, for him to see something flickering in the shadows. 

“Wait,” he said quietly. Laslow stopped, and Xander could finally hear it — breathing. “Someone’s here.”

“Lady Corrin, do you think?” Laslow asked, taking a step forward. The floorboard creaked, and Xander froze as he heard a grunting sound. 

Laslow suddenly shouted as an enormous silhouette crashed towards them, roars burning in Xander’s ears.  _ What the— _ Laslow barely managed to draw his sword in time to deflect the fist of the beast. The sparks of Laslow’s sword against metal finally provided enough illumination to reveal their enemy.

“Faceless?” Xander whispered, confused.

With a roar, Laslow managed to cut down the beast, and the Faceless gurgled as it collapsed to the ground, black blood pooling around the corpse. “This is different,” Laslow gasped, and Xander could instantly tell. While most Faceless were grey, the hide on this one was blood red. 

“Laslow!” Xander shouted as he stared around the room. More shadows moved around them, and he knew far before Laslow whispered it that they were surrounded. Siegfried’s light bloomed as Xander’s grip on the sword tightened. With a roar, he leapt forward into the fray, heart pounding as they attacked, lord and retainer moving as one. Faceless shrieked and howled as Xander lashed out with Siegfried, dark power flashing around him. Adrenaline gave him clarity as he whirled around, searching for the next target.

“Lord Xander!” Laslow suddenly shouted, and Xander grunted as the retainer shoved him aside. A soft gasp escaped Laslow as he struck out with his sword, metal flashing in the dim light. Xander’s eyes widened as he realized that Laslow had deflected the blow of a hidden Faceless.  _ How did he see that? _

“Laslow?” he asked, staring at the man.

“I’m fine,” he said quickly. Xander’s eyes darted around the room, ears straining for the sounds of heavy breathing and clinking chains. Siegfried’s blade glowed in the dark, but it was a weak light. “Is that the last of them?” he asked. 

“It s-seems so.” Xander pursed his lips at Laslow’s tone. Normally the man wasn’t this spooked. “You’re not… hurt, Lord Xander?”

“I’m fine,” Xander replied gruffly, turning to look at his retainer. Laslow’s face was abnormally pale, but the rogue attack  _ had _ taken them off guard. A mistake Xander would correct later.

Laslow smiled weakly. “I’m… glad.”

Xander stared in horror as Laslow collapsed to the ground, blood staining the outside of his tunic. “Laslow!” he shouted, shoving aside the Faceless body.  _ Gods, how? _

As he neared, he saw the brutal claw marks in his retainer’s side, and his blood ran cold.  _ He took that strike for me.  _

“F-Forgive me,” Laslow gasped, cringing as Xander knelt at his side, propping him up with one arm. “I… I left myself open.” A bitter chuckle escaped from him. “I-It’s been a while…”

“Relax,” Xander said quietly, tugging at the cloak on his shoulders. “I’m going to stop the bleeding.” It would hold Laslow over until they reached the Northern Fortress. Flora could heal him there. His retainer winced as Xander wrapped the fabric tight around his torso, ripping the cloak to create bandages. Carefully, he bound the wound, guiding Laslow’s hand to the bandages to provide pressure. Though it must ache something fierce, his retainer wouldn’t die this night.

“Lord Xander,” Laslow whispered, his voice still weak. “I’ll only slow you down.” His face contorted into a pained smile, eyes half shut. “Leave me here.”

Xander snorted. “Don’t say such ridiculous things.” Leaving Laslow behind wasn’t an option.

“Once I’ve rested, I’ll… make it back myself.” Laslow grunted in pain as he shifted, sitting up fully. “But, before that… Can you listen to what I have to say?”

Xander blinked at the odd request, then nodded.

“Do you really think we’ll find Lady Corrin like this?” Laslow whispered.

“What?” His mouth went dry.

Laslow chuckled. “I know you, Lord Xander… Normally you would never be so reckless. Taking your horse, charging out into the rain.” Slowly, he shook his head. “Go back to Castle Krakenburg. Listen to Lord Leo. Work together as you always have, and… you’ll find Lady Corrin. I know it.” He looked around at the dilapidated shack. “Or at least… It’ll be better than this.” 

_ Reckless.  _ He’d never used the word to describe himself — dusk and darkness, that was how he’d thought of Leo.  _ So reckless to take her out of the Northern Fortress, so foolish.  _ And yet… 

Hadn’t he just done the same thing? Racing out into the night, betraying his brother’s confidence? No, he hadn’t gone behind Leo’s back, but he’d punched him in the face. Xander’s throat constricted as he stared at Laslow’s bloody side.  _ I let my anger take control of me… And this is the price. _ The sight of Leo’s tear-filled eyes, a bruise beginning to form on his cheek, flooded his mind. Before then, he’d never seen Leo cry. Gods, he’d never heard him  _ yell, _ shouting about Corrin’s happiness. 

Not only was Corrin missing, but now Laslow, almost more friend than retainer, was struggling to breathe. And his brother was abandoned in Castle Krakenburg.

Was this who he’d become?

“Y-You’re not the only one to have lost family.” Laslow’s eyes drifted closed, his whole frame trembling. From pain or the sting of bitter memories, Xander couldn’t tell. “I know what it’s like… That pain is… very familiar to me. But if you push away those around you… Those who love you…” He forced his eyes open, then smiled again. “You’ll regret it. Don’t fall for that. I want you… to be happy. With your siblings, with your family… So—”

“That’s enough,” Xander said quickly. If Laslow talked any longer, he was at risk of losing consciousness. 

“Forgive me,” Laslow murmured, bowing his head. 

“Flora can heal your injuries,” Xander said, pulling Laslow’s arm over his shoulders. Laslow grunted as they both stood, his retainer leaning on him for support. “We’ll head back to the Northern Fortress, then go back to the castle.”

Laslow’s eyes widened as they began to navigate the treacherous ground towards the outside. “B-But…”

Xander raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Weren’t you the one who said that I must work with Leo? If so, then we head for Castle Krakenburg. But you are the first priority.”

To see the look on his retainer’s face relieved some of the guilt he felt. 

Xander chuckled as they made their way out into the rain. “To think I was convinced by a playboy like you.” Laslow snorted, but made no comment. “You have my thanks, Laslow,” Xander murmured. “I let my emotions get too much of a hold on me. I almost lost a valuable retainer… and a good friend.” 

“T-Trust me, Lord Xander, I’m not such a pushover—” Laslow blinked. “Wait, what?”

Xander’s smile widened. “The point is, you were right. Blindly searching will get us nowhere. I need to meet with Leo and work with him and his information. He’ll know where to go and how to find Corrin.” Despite Leo’s youth, he possessed the sharpest mind Xander had ever seen. 

And Xander had struck him in a rage. 

_ There are going to be many apologies before this is through, _ he thought grimly.  _ But first, take Laslow to safety. _

He could start atoning with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I'd like to apologize for not updating as quickly as I have in the past. Life has been crazy -- I got a job, went on several vacations (I'm actually in the airport right now as I type this) and gotten sick, so... yeah. It's been crazy.
> 
> But here it is, chapter six! I hope you all like it. The other chapters are mostly written so hopefully it won't be like three weeks between chapters, haha. Xander was a very interesting character to write, because I think he has to do a lot of introspection in not a lot of time. So hopefully it didn't come across as very sudden.


	7. A Guiding Sign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Calm down, Leo. You’re a genius, aren’t you?_

Leo stared down at the map, his hands balled into fists. “Lord Leo,” Odin said, his voice concerned. “Perhaps you should sit.”

“I’m fine.” It was an easy enough lie to say.

“No. You’re not,” Niles replied curtly. 

Leo sighed, shaking his head, then ran a hand through his hair. His legs still ached from the ride to the Northern Fortress, but he paid it no heed. He needed to be here, at the center of it all. Confining himself to Castle Krakenburg would have destroyed him from anxiety. Here, he could do  _ something. _

So why did he still feel just as useless?

The door suddenly banged open, and Leo whirled around to see Flora enter, her face flushed from exertion. “Excuse me for the interruption, Lord Leo,” she said hastily, swallowing.

“How was the search?” Leo asked quickly, moving towards her. “Did you find anything?”

Flora gulped down a breath, then shook her head. “I-I’m sorry, my lord,” she said, her voice trembling. “I tried around the fortress, but I couldn’t find anything. Jakob and Gunter are assisting with the search, but Lady Corrin and Felicia are nowhere to be found.”

He’d expected that answer, but the sting of it was still bitter. “I see,” he whispered, his chest tightening once more. 

“I…” Flora looked down at the ground, her hands clasped in her lap. “Please accept my apology, Lord Leo. Felicia was with Lady Corrin when they disappeared, and she couldn’t help her. I… I’m so sorry.”

_ She’s not the only one to have lost a sister. _ Leo shook his head, about to protest, when Niles suddenly straightened up, his eye narrowed. “Really now?” he asked sharply.

Flora actually flinched. “Lord Niles?”

“Basically, you just said that if your sister had been more competent, this wouldn’t have happened,” Niles stated. “As much as I  _ hate _ to suggest it, that doesn’t exactly sit well with me.”

“What do you mean?” Flora asked, her eyes wide.

“You and your twin sister could be working hand in hand here,” Niles explained coolly. “Teaming up to kidnap Lady Corrin and masquerade it as some sort of ‘accident.’ It would be difficult on your own, but having an accomplice to make things go more smoothly… Well, that’s just a natural next step.”

“That’s ridiculous!” Flora cried. “Kidnapping Lady Corrin from the fortress? We’d never do such a thing!”

Niles chuckled darkly. “Your irritation only makes you more suspicious.”

“Stop it, Niles!” 

His retainer stared at Leo, single eye widened in surprise. “Lord Leo?”

Leo sucked in a shaky breath. The last thing they all needed was to point fingers at each other. “That’s enough. Without concrete evidence, blaming Flora and Felicia is just baseless speculation. I told you earlier that I take full responsibility for what has happened to Corrin. Apologize to Flora.”

Niles’s lips pressed together in a hard line, but he turned to Flora and bowed his head. “My apologies.”

Flora said nothing, but she did nod in appreciation to Leo, and he returned her nod curtly. “Now, let’s look over the information we  _ do _ have. Niles, you checked the possibility of bandits being in the meadow?”

He nodded grimly. “No one suspicious in the area, and there weren’t signs of a struggle around the river. I didn’t see any footprints besides Lady Corrin and Felicia’s. The likelihood of two of them being kidnapped there is rather low. However, if some sort of transportation magic was used, there could be a possibility. As it stands though…”

“I see,” Leo replied quietly. “Odin? Did you find anything downstream?”

“My apologies, but nothing that would be of use,” Odin said. For once, his exuberant air was completely gone. “The river ended in a waterfall. But at the bottom, there were some monster corpses. No sign of Lady Corrin or Felicia, though.”

“Monster corpses?” Leo asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yeah. I couldn’t get too close because of the cliff, but it looked like a ton of Faceless bodies down there.” Odin shivered. “It was pretty creepy, to be honest. They had red hides.”

“Hmm. There have been National Defense troops hunting down rogue Faceless in those woods,” Niles murmured, staring down at the map. “Extermination hunt.”

“They must have killed those Faceless down there, then,” Leo said. “No connection to Corrin. Then… we’re right back to where we started.” He exhaled, staring at the map again. What was he missing? What piece was escaping him?

“Should we go back to the river, milord?” Odin asked.

Leo shook his head. “Waste of time. We need to expand our horizons, get a search going somewhere different… But where?” He gritted his teeth as his hands balled into fists.  _ Where to go? Where to start? Damn it, I can’t think! _ Xander’s words haunted him, tightening his chest like a vise. _ “Did you not think that Corrin could  _ die?” The thought of her lying in the mud, red eyes open as she bled out… His fingers gripped the edge of the table, desperate to hold onto something.  _ They could be dead already, out there… And I can’t do anything. Anything except fail.  _

_ You always fail, in the end. _

“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered, eyes wide as he stared at the table. “I don’t know what to do…” 

“Lord Leo.” Odin stared at the map with him, his face grim. He knew just as well as Leo the chances of Corrin and Felicia’s survival. Erratic as he may be, he was no fool. 

_ What… What am I going to do?  _

He jumped as the door opened, then froze as a familiar silhouette shadowed the doorframe. “Calm down, Leo,” Xander said, his voice firm, yet calm. Completely unlike his anger and disappointment before. And then, he  _ smiled. _ “You’re a genius, remember?”

_ Genius? _

Leo barely managed to stutter out Xander’s name before his retainer went ballistic. “Laslow!” Odin cried, running over to the silver haired bodyguard. “Gods above, what happened to you?” 

Laslow chuckled weakly, and Leo’s eyes widened as he saw the blood on his jerkin. “H-Hah, well…” He cringed, sagging against Xander. “I’m afraid… I got myself into some trouble, o-old friend…”

“It’s all right,” Flora said quickly, voice calm and authoritative as she approached. Her staff was already in hand, crystal glowing with green light. “Sir Odin, if you’ll help me bring him this way…” Odin nodded quickly, taking Laslow from Xander and hauling him over to the couch. Leo inhaled shakily as he saw just how badly the retainer was limping.  _ What happened to him? _

“He’ll be all right,” Xander said firmly. “He’s survived worse.” 

“Of course,” Leo said, turning to face his brother. He steeled himself for another lecture, his hands balling into fists. 

“Please forgive me, Leo.”

The words were enough to rip the air out of his lungs. Leo’s eyes nearly bulged as he stared at Xander. Instead of anger in his eyes, he saw… sadness. Regret. Even guilt?

“I let my emotions rule me instead of sense,” Xander said, his voice heavy. “I never should have struck you.”

Leo should have felt vindicated at those words. Yet they only seemed to twist the knife deeper. “No,” he said, his voice ragged. “It… You were right. It  _ is _ my fault. I betrayed your trust, I took Corrin out of the Fortress, I risked her—”

“That’s enough,” Xander said, his eyes narrowing. 

Leo froze. “Brother?”

“We’ll discuss that later,” Xander stated, approaching the table. He stared down at the map, eyes intent as he scanned the markings Leo had haphazardly drawn. “Our first priority is locating Corrin and Felicia. I’ll lend whatever help I can.” He met Leo’s eyes, then smiled. “As a wise man once said, if I push away those around me, then I will regret it. Lead us, Leo.”

_ Lead us. _ The pressure of that statement would have crushed him not five minutes before. But now, with Xander’s face calm, a soft smile on his lips, Leo felt a bit stronger.  _ I’m not alone now. I don’t have to do this alone. _

Some of the pressure finally lifted off his chest.

He swallowed over his dry throat. “Thank you, Xander.” His voice was dangerously shaky again. “That reassures me greatly.”  _ More than you could ever know. _

“Don’t thank me so quickly,” Xander said, his stern tone returning. “I still haven’t forgiven you for lying to me. If we find Corrin safely, prepare yourself.”

The threat almost didn’t register in Leo’s mind. “You can lecture me for as long as you’d like afterwards,” he said, smiling. “We have a mission to fulfill now.”

“Good for you, Lord Leo!” Odin cried out, beaming. “Familial connection restored!”

“You’re making a positively wonderful expression,” Niles said, smirking as he leaned his face close to Leo’s. “Absolutely adorable.”

Leo groaned, shoving Niles’ face away. “Shut up, both of you.” 

Xander spared a chuckle. “Moving on, tell me what you know, Leo.”

Leo nodded, staring down at the map. “I sent out a search party,” he said, voice steadier now. “So far, the results haven’t been very positive. I highly doubt they were kidnapped — very few know of Corrin’s existence — but they could have possibly fallen into the river.” He squeezed his eyes shut, remembering Odin’s report. “There’s a cliff that divides that river into two sections. At the base of the cliff, all we found were monster corpses.”

“Monster corpses?” Xander asked, brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“They look like abnormal Faceless,” Odin said, and Leo blinked at his serious demeanor. “Their skins are red and their bodies are larger than normal.”

Xander’s eyes widened, and Leo blinked at the strange reaction. Then, he turned as Laslow gasped from behind them. Flora weakly protested as he rose from the couch, still limping a bit. “I know that description,” he said, voice stronger than before. “We fought them earlier on our own search attempt.”

“Seriously?” Odin asked. 

Laslow nodded, face grim. “We found an abandoned shack in the forest just south of here.” He pointed to the map. “Here, I’d say. There were about five of them, and one of them… Well, let’s just say that after the battle, we found something strange.”

“Something strange?” Leo asked, eyebrow raised.

Xander nodded. “After we killed them all, we found something like hair on the ground.”

“Hair?” Now Flora had joined them at the table, staff still at the ready. “Just… hair?”

Laslow nodded. “There was no one there, or… at least there wasn’t a corpse. Just the hair. But…” He smiled, looking at Flora with soft eyes. “It was this beautiful shade of blue. Just like yours, Lady Flora.” The maid rolled her eyes, but Leo froze.  _ Could it be…? _

“Laslow, do you still have that hair?” Leo asked hurriedly, leaning over the table. 

The retainer blinked. “W-Well, I do, but…” He chuckled as he pulled out a gathered mass of blue hair, dirtied with mud and Faceless blood. “Sorry, it’s rather disgusting. I guess it must have caught on me after the battle.” 

“Niles, I need you to examine that for me!” Leo ordered, eyes keen as he stared at the wig. It looked similar enough, but Niles would know the specifications the best. Carefully, Niles took the wig into his hands, turning it over with his fingers, feeling each strand of hair. “Well?” Leo asked, impatience grinding at him.

“Mmm…” Niles stared at him. “It’s the same materials and color. This is the wig I had made for Lady Corrin.”

“If you found that in the forest, it stands to reason that Corrin and Felicia were there as well,” Leo said quietly. “The river cuts right through those woods. They must have drifted that far…”  _ And survived. They had to have survived. _

“Then the Faceless Odin saw at the base of the waterfall could have attacked Lady Corrin!” Flora replied, her voice frantic. “Felicia and her could be wounded!”

“There is no human blood on this wig,” Niles stated calmly. “Only Faceless blood.”

Leo’s nerves settled at that news. “Then they could have been saved by the National Defense troops patrolling those woods,” he said softly. “It’s just a theory, but… if it holds true, then Corrin and Felicia are in that forest.”

“Which is currently inhabited by hostile Faceless,” Xander said grimly. “A dangerous situation. What should we do, Leo? There are other possibilities. You have the best perspective — the final decision is yours.”

Leo leaned over the map, inhaling deeply as he tried to still his shaking hands. Any error could result in lives lost — not just Corrin and Felicia’s, but the lives of their retainers. And though Leo prided himself on his tactical prowess and skill, this whole incident had proven that he was far more susceptible to mistakes than he’d guessed. 

“Are you sure?” he asked, looking at Xander. 

“Yes,” Xander answered, his voice confident. “I trust you, Leo.”

_ I trust you. _

_ But do I trust myself? I took her into this mess…  _

No. He couldn’t do this: succumb to self doubt, constantly question himself. He had to make a decision, had to do  _ something. _ The time for being paralyzed in self-pity and shame was over. 

“Thank you, Brother,” he replied, straightening up as he stared at the map. “We’ll head to the forest, then, and start at the base of the cliff. Split up into teams, search for Corrin and Felicia, and bring them home safe and sound.” The group nodded, some voicing their affirmation, but Leo only felt the tiny spark of warmth in him, a pulse that seemed to release the tension pent up inside him.

_ It’s time to do what no one else can. _

 

* * *

 

Corrin blinked as the soldier halted, her blonde hair bouncing as she looked around. Her lips were pursed in confusion, blue eyes narrowed. “That’s weird,” she murmured, resting a hand on her axe.

“What’s wrong?” Corrin asked, shivering as she rubbed her arms.

The soldier sighed. “Nothing. I must have taken a wrong turn.” She turned around, glancing about the area. “There should be a tree stump right there that’s right in front of the exit. I swear I saw it just a few hours ago…”

Felicia sighed. “It’s because you’re leading us around, huh? We’ve gotten you all turned around.”

“Nah, it’s not your fault,” she replied, waving her hand dismissively. “I just need to get my bearings, and—” She froze suddenly, blue eyes widening. Rain trickled down face as she placed a hand on her axe.

“What’s wrong?” Corrin asked, her heart pounding.

“Shh,” the soldier whispered. “To the right. Move carefully.”

Corrin turned, then stiffened.

The monsters that had attacked them at the river lurked in a clearing just beside them. Now that they weren’t moving, she could hear their heavy breathing in the rain, grunts and growls barely audible over the pounding noise. Her heart pounded as she stared at their red skins, the starlight making their hides almost glow like coals.  _ Oh no… _

“There’s so many,” Flora whispered, her voice so small that Corrin could barely hear it above the rainfall. Corrin’s throat tightened as she looked at the mass of Faceless, her hand reaching for the sword that the soldier had given to her. But they’d have no chance fighting these things.

“So this is their nest,” the soldier murmured, her hand tight on her axe’s haft. “I’d kill to go in there and wipe them all out, but you two wouldn’t be much help.” She sighed, shaking her head. “Oh well. Let’s turn around and we’ll get you girls back to your fortress. And who knows? Maybe I’ll find Benny on the way.”

“U-Uh…” Corrin flinched as Felicia quickly backed away, her knives held in both hands. “I don’t think that’s going to be possible.”

Corrin and the soldier both turned at the same time. Somehow, she managed to keep in her scream.

Faceless lined their clearing, chains clinking as they moved towards them, closing the gaps. The soldier cursed violently under her breath, pulling out her axe. “This is the absolute worst!”

Corrin’s hands shook as she drew her own sword, dropping the sheath into the mud. She inhaled deeply, trying to force down the panic. It was simple. Easy, right? The soldier had taken care of them quick enough, and she’d had her fair share of training with the sword. That was enough, wasn’t it?

_ If you’re going to be here, you’ll need to be prepared to face death. _

And gods above, she was facing it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello again!
> 
> There's really not much to say for this chapter, but I do want to say thank you to everyone reading this! It means a lot that people are still commenting and checking it out! 
> 
> A little bit of Leo's shattered self confidence is beginning to rebuild itself, which is good. And the next chapter has a few surprises in store... 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	8. The Ties that Bind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _When the world falls down all around you, and hope is lost… when you find yourself alone, amid a lightless place, look to the distance. Know that I am there, and that I watch over you always._

Charlotte grimaced as the Faceless fell, her arms aching. _Damn it, there’s just so many of them…_ They were completely surrounded, over fifty Faceless in a blood rage and trying to rip them apart.

The maid, Felicia, was crumpled on the ground, her arm at a crooked angle. “I-I’m sorry,” she whispered. Charlotte couldn’t catch the rest of their conversation, but she remembered how the girl had launched herself in front of her sister, pushing her out of the way. The silver haired one — Flora, Charlotte somehow remembered as she decapitated another Faceless — had just stood there in pure shock, sword at the ready. Felicia had taken the strike, a glancing blow. But even those could break bones.

 _If only Benny were here,_ she thought grimly, sidestepping another blow. The mud was slick, but the rain had stopped, _finally._ Her hair was a complete disaster, but… Well, she had other priorities. The Faceless in front of her barely missed her, pummeling the ground, and she snarled. “What do you think you’re doing to me, huh? Just a nice, respectable lady taking a stroll in the forest!” Honestly. Of course it was her luck to get caught with two girls in the middle of the woods, battling a bunch of mutated freaks. Gods, she needed to get herself another job.

Another beast fell, and this time she had to stop for a second to catch her breath. Sweat, not rain, dripped down her face now, and she grimaced. _Too many… There’s way too many of them…_ She glanced at the girls, sighing. Well, at least she could buy them a few minutes. Charlotte, going down as the savior of two poor little maids. Not exactly the end she’d hoped for, but—

A roar burst her train of thought, and she looked up in horror to see a fist swinging towards her, ready to punch her head straight off. She grimaced, raising her axe. It wouldn’t stop the blow, but maybe it would break some of the momentum. _Sorry, Mom._ She inhaled, then braced for impact.

Her eyes widened as a flash of steel swung in front of her, taking off the monster’s fist. _H-Huh?_

“You’re all right?” The voice shook, but there was an authority to it, a power, and Charlotte answered.

“Yeah,” she said, staring at Flora in shock. The girl’s blade was covered in black Faceless blood, and poor Felicia was still leaning against a tree, hidden among the bodies of Faceless.

“Then go!” Flora shouted, standing in front of Charlotte in a pose that looked strangely practiced. “Take Felicia and escape!”

“Kid, are you crazy?” Charlotte barked. “You’ll die!”

“My brother taught me how to fight,” Flora replied, her crimson eyes unnaturally bright in the night darkness, like the Faceless skins. “And you said it yourself — we have to take care of ourselves, right? So go!” And with that, she ran forward, bringing her sword back for a blow.

“Lady Corrin, no!” Felicia cried, reaching out with her good arm. Charlotte winced, waiting for the kid to get tossed back by a Faceless.

Instead, she watched wide eyed as the girl actually _slid_ under the monster’s strike, cleaving upward with a ferocious roar. The beast gurgled, and Charlotte cringed away from the sight of black blood and spilled entrails. _Damn._

But there were still too many. And the kid was distracted by the gore. She might have practiced, but that still didn’t prepare you for the blood and mess of the battlefield. She stood there, trembling as the Faceless fell to the ground. Ignoring the other two creeping up behind her. _She’s trapped._

And before any basic self-preservation instinct could hold her back, Charlotte leapt forward with her axe, crying out as she swung down on the Faceless before her. A sick screech left its mouth as the axe carved its way down the spine, and the thing collapsed to the ground. Flora — no, _Lady Corrin_ Felicia had called her — jumped in surprise, then barely missed the other Faceless swinging for her. Soon enough though, that thing was down as well, gurgling as Corrin slit its throat.

When the Faceless hit the ground, the silver haired girl looked at Charlotte with confused eyes. “Why?” she asked, her voice raw.

“I don’t know!” Charlotte barked, grunting as another Faceless swung at them. She grimaced as the beast’s nails clipped her side, ripping her shirt. _Ugh!_ “Gods, I don’t want to see your face when I try to sleep at night! Is there something wrong with that?”

Corrin was motionless, eyes still wide. Charlotte panted for breath, grimacing as she prodded the wound. Yep, definitely bleeding.

“But,” she hissed, hefting her axe in Corrin’s direction, “I’m only worrying about this side. You pull your own weight. Got it?”

And for the first time that day, the kid actually smiled. “Right.” She darted to the side, slipping around a Faceless to attack it from behind. Charlotte blinked, then turned towards the enemy in front of her. _Well, this makes things a little easier._ Now she only had to babysit _one_ maid.

For a while, she forgot herself in the thrill of battle. The Faceless were terrifying when you first looked at them, but they really weren’t that bad once you realized that they were pretty stupid. They threw all of their strength behind one blow, but they were pretty slow. The trick was to wait for them to attack, then sidestep at the last moment and go in for the kill. A simple pattern.

Charlotte grimaced as her side still stung, but she ignored it. The piles of Faceless around them were growing, but there were still too many. Warily, she glanced to the side, then rose her eyebrows. The girl, Corrin, was actually doing pretty well. Not as many dead Faceless around her, but she was still alive and going at it.

A roar deafened her ears, and Charlotte turned to see a giant red fist swinging at her. She screamed as her axe went flying, her hand burning at the sudden motion. “Damn it, you bastard!” Unarmed, defenseless… She was dead meat.

_“Hey, over here!”_

To Charlotte’s unending surprise, the beast actually turned, chasing after the girl. Her mouth gaped as Corrin charged at it, sword plunging into its gut. “Go! I’ll distract them!” she shouted.

“Kid, no! You’ll die!” Didn’t she understand that?

 _“Go!”_ Another Faceless fell, horrible gurgling screeches echoing as Corrin slit its throat.

“Lady Corrin, no! It’s too dangerous!” Felicia cried, her voice shaking. Even without looking, Charlotte could tell she was crying.

 _Trying to sacrifice yourself?_ Charlotte chuckled as she picked her way across the clearing, trying to reach her axe. The distraction was working all too well — Corrin would be slaughtered before Charlotte or Felicia could ever get far enough to escape. _Well, too bad!_ _I won’t let you!_

 

* * *

 

_I’ll… save them…_

Fatigue bent Corrin over, pressing her into the ground, but adrenaline kept her going, tumbling towards the Faceless to her side. _Dodge!_ Xander’s voice echoed in her mind, and she pivoted on one foot, sliding in the slippery mud effortlessly. Jumping upward was harder — even with bare feet it was difficult finding good footing to propel her up — but she lunged, sword brought back. It was already notched and scored from the times she’d struck bone, but it was all she had.

Metal sliced through skin and muscle, and the beast fell. All she wanted was to stop to rest, but there was no time. The Faceless crowded around her, roars and screams growing more and more frenzied. Her distraction was working: Felicia and the soldier would escape, surely.

A fist swung at her, and she forced back her exhaustion. _Move!_ She grunted, then dodged the swing of the Faceless’s fist, a dull ache throbbing through her shoulder as she rolled out of the way. _Come now, little princess. Those reflexes are so slow,_ her older brother’s voice chided. Xander would be disappointed with her, as well as Leo. Usually she was better than this. But these monsters were so _big…_

 _Doesn’t matter!_ Teeth gritted, she ran forward, notched sword brought back for a powerful downward cleave. Her roar mixed with the Faceless’s as it was cut down, falling to the ground with a earth rumbling thump. Felicia screamed in the background, and Corrin turned with horror, her pulse spiking. _There’s just so many…_ They truly were surrounded. But she could do it! She could save them!

She had to.

Bloodsoaked dirt pressed beneath her feet as she jumped again, burying the sword in the neck of the monster, its death flails making her spine crunch. She gasped as the blade broke in her hands, leaving a foot above the hilt as she fell to the ground. The wind was knocked out of her as her back collided with a tree root, pain burning through her body at the impact. She tried in vain to suck in some sort of breath, but for some reason nothing seemed to work right. _C-Come on…_ This was no time to be lying on the ground!

“Get up, Lady Corrin!” The shriek somehow signalled her body to work again, and she was back on her feet, staring up at the next enemy. Her grip tightened around her broken blade. _Not good._

But, well, when had the odds been good in this whole scenario anyway?

Leo would have come up with a strategy, some flawless way of handling over fifty Faceless at once. But she wasn’t that smart. So she just had to do the best she could, buying time for her new friend and Felicia to escape.

So why weren’t they running?

“Go!” she shouted, pointing with her sword towards the trees. _“Hurry!”_

“Kid, watch—”

_Crunch._

With a strangled cry, she flew through the air, fire spreading through her chest as she smashed into a tree, sagging down to the roots. _N-No…_ She could hear Felicia’s wails, could feel the grating of broken ribs against each other. Every inch of her body felt like live coals in a roaring furnace, and red and black spots pulsed through her vision as she struggled to look up. The only sound she could comprehend was her pulse thudding in her ears, almost a buzzing noise. She couldn’t even wheeze a breath in as she stared up at the hulking shadow above her. A giant fist raised above her, chainlinks clinking. Gods, this one seemed even larger than the rest.

 _Is this it? Ah…_ She gritted her teeth. _I never thought… I’d die like this…_

_I’m so sorry… Leo…_

“Lady Corrin, no!”

 _Wait._ Despite the pain surging through her, her hands curled into fists. _This… isn’t the end…_

“Get away from her, you bastard!”

_I won’t let it end this way!_

She gritted her teeth, then prepared herself to throw herself out of the way of the blow. Broken ribs or no, bruises or no, shattered sword or no, she couldn’t let it end like this — Felicia and that soldier defenseless, her passively lying there, accepting her fate. That would be like staying in the Fortress.

But…

The fist fell, and she realized that even with her determination fueling her, there would be no way to avoid this attack. She was defenseless, unarmed, too slow, about to d—

_“CORRIN!”_

The scream allowed the tiniest breath to pass into her scalding lungs, and the Faceless above her grunted, turning its head in what she could only guess as confusion. Did she know that voice?

Suddenly, white light exploded in front of her, and her miniscule breath turned into a gasp as tree limbs sprouted from the earth, impaling the Faceless looming above with wicked looking branches. Blood splattered around her, a hot fat droplet striking her eye as the beast roared in agony, torn apart in a split second. _H-How… Is that…_

_That’s Brynhildr!_

Crunching armor, frantic gasping, tree branches and pine needles snapping, and in what felt like half a second later, the blinding white magic was replaced by black armor, rosy pale skin, and two wide brown eyes, red and puffy and watery.

“L-Leo?” she rasped, coughing. Something wet and warm filled her mouth, and she grimaced.

Suddenly, she was pulled away from the tree, pushed against warm metal, and she grunted at the soft but sudden impact. But she couldn’t complain as she heard her brother’s ragged breathing. “Th-Thank the gods,” he whispered, his voice shaking, and her eyes widened. “You’re safe…”

Despite it all, a wet bloody chuckle rumbled out of her throat, and she leaned against him, one bruised arm snaking around his neck. “Am now,” she whispered hoarsely.

His arms enfolded her in a gentle but firm grip, and she smiled. _Safe._

_We’re safe now._

 

* * *

 

The roars of Faceless alerted Leo to the fact that they were finally close.

“Enemy sighted ahead!” Odin shouted, his horse taking point in their formation. Leo’s heart pounded, Brynhildr open and cradled in the crook of his arm. He could hear human shouts as well, all female. _Gods, is she… is she fighting them?_

Suddenly, a horrifying pained cry echoed in his ears, and his blood ran cold. Despite never hearing his sister utter a cry like that, he _knew_ that voice.

Corrin was in grave danger.

Agnar surged forward unbidden, and this was when Leo truly appreciated his bond with his horse. Magic already glowed in the palm of his hand, fingers outstretched. _Please, gods, I can’t be too late, I’ve come so far—_

Pure terror overcame him as Agnar rounded the cluster of trees, the scene searing into his memory.

Faceless corpses were littered across the ground, some impaled with broken knives and sword blades. Yet despite the formidable carnage, still more Faceless lurked in the trees, their roars forming some obscene monstrous choir. Their red skins burned in the dying twilight, black blood staining the muddy ground. His eyes desperately searched among the horde, looking for—

There!

She lay at the base of a tree, broken sword hilt slipping from her fingers. Her face was unnaturally pale, eyes fixated on the beast looming over her, raising a fist for the finishing blow. She was defenseless, beaten, ready to die.

He could not let that happen. He _would not._

_“CORRIN!”_

The magic charge surged in his hand and with a fling of his palm, the world around him exploded with light. _Life_ filled him, pure and vibrant and choking him of breath. And as he closed his fingers, curling them into a fist, oak branches split the soil, bursting through the ground and ripping that fell monster to shreds. Yet he didn’t savor its death cries, didn’t relish how it writhed and howled as the tree disintegrated, falling to the ground.

All he could see was Corrin lying there, eyes wide, chest heaving. Signs of life. He wasn’t too late. He…

He’d saved her.

Agnar hadn’t even stopped as he threw himself off his horse, boots crunching against wet pine needles. He gulped in air as he ran towards her, Brynhildr tucked under one arm. _She’s alive, she’s alive, she’s aliv—_ He gasped as his foot suddenly slipped, the mud slick under his feet. Yet he surged forward, somehow regaining his footing as he scrambled towards her in a mad dash. It was probably the most embarrassing he’d ever looked in his life.

But that didn’t matter. All that mattered was her.

He skidded to his knees in front of her, mud flying around him, taking in the sight of Corrin. She was covered in blood, but a quick check confirmed it wasn’t her own — Faceless blood was dingy and black, not crimson. And she didn’t seem panicked or struggling for her life. Just dazed. “L-Leo?” she whispered, her voice scratchy yet level.

With a choked sob barely held back in his throat, he pulled her to him, her breath stuttering in surprise. _Gently!_ his mind chided, but he couldn’t help it — she was here, and the world was finally right again. “Th-Thank the gods,” he breathed, and the tears spilled over before he could squeeze his eyes shut. “You’re safe…” Injured, surely, but that could be healed. She was still whole, still breathing.

A soft chuckling sound vibrated against his chest, and he froze as her arm shakily draped around his shoulders, pulling him closer to her. “Am now,” she whispered. He could only squeeze her tighter in response — damn his emotions, but he was speechless at this point. Yet Corrin seemed to understand, for her fingers tugged at the wisps of hair at the base of his neck. “It’s okay,” she mumbled, her weak voice making his heart flutter. “I’m okay. It’s all okay…”

“Corrin!” Xander’s voice dampened his elation slightly, but Leo reluctantly turned to see their older brother approaching. “Gods,” he whispered, his stern eyes uncharacteristically wide. “Are you… Are you all right?”

She nodded, her body’s trembling ceasing. Leo’s nerves finally managed to settle at that. “You came to save me,” she murmured, a smile quirking up the corners of her bright red lips. Leo couldn’t help but feel warm at the peaceful expression.

Then she coughed, a horrible wet hacking sound, and his heart dropped into his stomach as blood leaked from her parted lips. Warmth fled as the guilt and shame came rushing in. How dare he feel exuberant? His stupidity, his pride, his damned _selfishness,_ was the reason for Corrin in his arms, struggling to breathe.

“I’m so sorry, Corrin,” he choked out, struggling to keep his tears at bay. A sobbing prince would do none of them any good. “I-I put you in danger… just so I could take you out of the fortress…”

“No,” she said, her voice firm. “You couldn’t have known.” Fingers, calloused but gentle, brushed against his cheek. “It’s okay.”

“You did well,” Xander said, his voice professional once more. “Leave the rest to us. Flora will heal your wounds.” The maid was already rushing over, stave in hand.

“I’ll take over, Lord Leo,” she said firmly, green healing magic already glowing inside the power crystal. Reluctantly, he pulled away, letting the maid minister to her liege. Corrin let out a sigh of relief as the green glow washed over her chest, burning away the Faceless blood.

“Finally!” a bitter voice shouted, and he blinked as he rose, staring at the National Defense soldier stalking towards them. “It’s about time we got reinforcem—” She froze, blonde curls bouncing as her blue eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “W-Wait… Y-You can’t be…”

Normally, he would have been a tad annoyed at her tone, but his relief at Corrin’s recovery pushed that out of his mind. “We are your reinforcements,” he commented, Brynhildr in his hands once more.

“B-But…” Her face turned scarlet as her eyes darted from Xander to him and back again. “Prince Xander and Prince Leo?! _Wh-Why?!”_

“You’re a member of the National Defense force, I assume?” Leo commented. Judging from the black smears all over her uniform, Corrin had not faced the Faceless alone. His heart lifted a bit at that. “You protected those two well.”

The soldier spluttered as Xander approached, a steel axe in hand. Though it was notched and scored, it seemed serviceable. “Is this your axe?” he asked.

“Well, yeah— I-I mean, yes,” she said, her voice abruptly switching from harsh to sweet. “Why, thank you so much.” She let out an airy giggle, and Leo narrowed his eyes. This woman sounded far too much like some of the brainless ladies at Castle Krakenburg.

“Here,” Xander said, extending the weapon to her. Despite her overly feminine mannerisms, the soldier snatched the axe from his brother’s hands like a viper, holding it in a practiced grip. “My apologies, but… Please lend us your strength a little longer.”

“Oh, but of course!” she twittered, flipping her blonde hair behind her shoulder. Leo couldn’t help the scowl that turned his lips down into a hard flat line. “Miss Charlotte here is happy to be of service! I’ll give it my all!” And just like that she was off, some particularly coarse epithets tearing from underneath her breath as she ran to engage the pack of Faceless. Leo turned back to see Corrin’s progress. Currently, she was back against the tree, her eyes closed. There was significantly more color back in her cheeks, and he let himself relax.

“The battle has just begun,” Xander said quietly. In the chaos, Leo had almost forgotten about the hordes of Faceless. Their retainers seemed to be doing well, but it would be unjust to let them handle the fight alone.

“Let’s finish it then,” Leo whispered, Brynhildr glowing in his hand.

 

* * *

 

“There,” Flora whispered. The green glow of her staff faded, and so did Corrin’s pain. Finally, she was able to breathe normally, and she relaxed against the tree.

“Thank you,” Corrin murmured.

“Not at all, Lady Corrin,” Flora replied, wearily smiling back. Behind her stood Felicia, arm whole once more. Flora had managed to reach her sister first, and Corrin didn’t blame her in the slightest. “Either way, I suppose I should get back to the battle. Their Highnesses and their retainers might need my support.”

“I’ll go with you!” Felicia said, a grin on her face. To Corrin’s surprise, Flora nodded in agreement.

“Rest here, Lady Corrin, and try not to do anything too strenuous,” Flora said, bowing her head slightly before running into the fray. Felicia followed, ice coating her knives as she threw them at the Faceless.

“Well, that’s some rescue you’ve got there, hmm?”

Corrin jumped, turning to see the soldier standing there, resting her axe on her shoulder. “Wh-What do you mean?” she asked, crawling to her feet.

“Well, I mean, the two princes of Nohr coming after just a common servant is just downright insane,” the soldier said. “Unless, you’re not actually a servant.”

Corrin blushed, her heart pounding. “U-Uh, that’s…” She swallowed quickly. “I mean, I…”

The soldier laughed. “Oh don’t worry, your Highness! I won’t spoil your little secret. But tell me, which prince are you betrothed to?”

“B-B- _Betrothed?”_ Now her _ears_ were burning!

“You don’t have to play dumb with me anymore, right?” the soldier said, a greedy sheen flashing across her eyes. “A royal from a neighboring kingdom. You must have snuck out of the castle, right? Though who’d want to run away from _those_ two?”

Corrin shook her head rapidly. “No, you’ve got the wrong idea, trust—”

“It’s okay! I won’t tell anyone!” the soldier said quickly. “But in exchange, introduce me to the one you’re not marrying, okay?” She grabbed Corrin’s hand, then shook it. “It’s a deal! Big leagues, here we come!” And before she could protest any further, the soldier was off, swinging her axe around her. Corrin shook her head, then sighed. _Betrothed? Ridiculous._ Though, she didn’t really blame the woman for making crazy assumptions: her circumstances were unusual at best.

A flash of magic caught her eye, and Corrin turned to see the waves of Faceless being pushed back. Xander’s horse reared as darkness cut around him in a vicious swath, his retainer fending off the Faceless from the rear. Felicia and Flora weren’t as flashy, but their nimbleness was just as effective. And Leo…

Trees broke out from the soil, spearing monsters with their branches. Others shot up into the air, then slammed back down into the earth, howling as they were crushed by the fall. She trembled as she watched the destruction from both Brynhildr and Siegfried. _So, this is what they do on the battlefield._ She’d known it wasn’t pretty, but the efficient way they carried it out was… not disturbing. But disconcerting.

 _Not that you’re any different._ She turned and looked back at her own pile of Faceless corpses, black and red mixing together in the dim starlight. She shivered, pressing a hand to her chest. She’d nearly died tonight. She would have, if not for Leo’s rescue. And as she stared at her brothers, she promised something to herself.

Next time, she’d be strong enough to not need saving.

 

* * *

 

Power flowed through Leo, from his hammering heart to his fingertips, and he released it with his breath. The Faceless screamed as his retainers fought behind him, cutting down the brutes easily. Even when outnumbered, they still charged to their deaths, stupidly fighting until their last breath.

The sight of Corrin lying on the ground, nearly crushed, still burned in his mind. It fueled him, drove him, made him inhale another breath and release Brynhildr’s power. _Never again._ The creatures screamed as they were torn apart, impaled by the power of life itself. As he exhaled, the wood and leaves crumbled away, decomposing just as quickly as they had grown.

And soon, the screams and howls faded, leaving one single Faceless alone, growling as it staggered towards Leo. He stared at it for a moment. To be honest, he was surprised at the lack of hatred he felt. But he knew better than to resent this thing. It was just a dumb animal, following its basic instincts. Still, it was a threat to his family.

Those could not survive.

_I’ll atone for my mistakes. Here. Now._

He inhaled deeply, and the energy coalesced into his palm, life burning in his hand. “Völsungakvida,” he breathed, letting the spell collapse. The Faceless howled as gravity redirected itself into its body, essentially crushing the monster with its own weight. The body fell to the ground, a shrivelled withered husk of what it had been. With a soft exhale, Leo closed the book, the energy and strain of battle leaving him drained.

_It’s over. Finally._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Here it is, chapter 8 in all of its angsty, fluffy glory.
> 
> This is the chapter that I perhaps modified the most out of this drama cd. Mainly, I felt that Corrin always had a passive role in this part -- maybe too passive. Even if she's unexperienced in battle (and she does freeze up at first in this version) I feel like she would have gone out fighting more. Cue dramatic rescue by Leo! I also cut out a lot of the retainer/lord fighting sequences (like, all of it) because this chapter was already so long and writing all of those critical quotes in a natural way without it ending up being a laughing fest is just... hard.
> 
> In the end, this chapter ended up being a fair bit darker than I first imagined it. Mainly because this is Corrin's first encounter with real battlefield violence, and she would be shaken by that, I believe. She's not going to get over that shock for a while.
> 
> It was also a lot of fun writing Charlotte. I should have done a bit more research on her character, so if you feel that she is particularly OOC, please let me know and I will rewrite her lines. Thanks so much for reading!


	9. Dreaming of a Journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _All right! All the places you mentioned — let’s visit them together!_

“The clean up process shouldn’t be too problematic,” Prince Leo said, his tome tucked underneath one arm. “I think our work is done here.”

Charlotte stared in disbelief at the battlefield.  _ Damn. _ The princes and their retainers had taken out the rest of the Faceless pack in less than five minutes.  _ Talk about professional. _ She smiled as she stared up at Prince Xander.  _ And dreamy. _

“Thank you so much, Your Highnesses!” Felicia said, curtseying. “If you hadn’t come, then, well… You really saved us.” 

“Yeah,” Charlotte said, giving her best bashful smile at the princes. “It was just  _ terrifying _ back there, really. I wasn’t very strong, but these two—”

“No need to be modest,” Prince Xander said quietly, sheathing his massive sword. “You fought exceptionally well. You have my thanks for protecting these two.”

Despite everything, she actually blushed. “O-Oh.”

“Yeah! You should have seen her take out those monsters! It was incredible!” Felicia exclaimed, beaming widely as she stared at Charlotte. 

“We would have both died without her,” Corrin noted, her face more reserved. Yet she still smiled. “Thank you very much.”

“I should thank you as well,” Prince Leo added.

_ All this praise… _ For once, the thought of money fell from her mind. Here she was, surrounded by royalty, telling her that she’d done a good job.  _ Man, this actually is pretty nice. _ “Y-You’re welcome,” she stammered. 

“Someone will need to report back to the National Defense headquarters what’s happened here,” Xander said. “As well as escort this fine soldier back to their base.”

“I think we can handle it,” one of the men beside Prince Xander said, a bright grin on his face. “Leave it to us.” He strode towards her, offering her his hand. “May we escort you, my lady?” Two others flanked him, one with a wicked looking eyepatch, the other with the brightest yellow outfit she’d ever seen.

She pouted. “Awww…”  _ But I still wanna talk to the royals… _ Then, she paused, resting the tip of her finger on her lips.  _ Now, hold on, Charlotte. If these three are fighting with the princes, then that means… they must be bodyguards of some sort? Retainers? Yeah, that’s the world. Or, in other words, elites. And that means rich! _ She giggled. “Oh, I guess I can go along with you boys. If I absolutely  _ have _ to…”

“Um, what?” the yellow-dressed one said.

“Oh, nothing,” she tittered, adding another giggle. She could spot “airhead” a mile away. “Say there, what exactly do you find attractive in a woman?”

The other retainer frowned. “B-But what about me?”

“U-Uh…” The yellow guy scratched his head. “I-I don’t really get it—”

She grinned, batting her eyelashes. “Don’t think so hard, handsome. Now, I’ll probably tie my hair up in one of those nice bows, and maybe wear all white…”

“And I thought  _ I _ was weird,” the yellow guy replied. Charlotte’s mood soured at that.  _ Great. What, are you so dumb you can’t even get a little flirting— _

“All right, that’s enough,” the eyepatch man drawled. Charlotte grunted as he shoved her forward. “Let’s get a move on already.”

“Hey!” she yelped as they moved away from the royals. “Don’t push me!”  _ Gods, this is the most embarrassing thing ever! And in front of the princes too! But… it’s not like I’m ever going to run into them again anyway…  _

 

* * *

 

Leo watched as the strange soldier was led away by the retainers, then turned to look at Corrin. Her face was strangely pensive as she stared at the girl. “You know, it’s a shame,” she said softly. “I never even got to know her name.” Then she smiled, looking at Leo. “Perhaps we’ll run into her again another day.”

Before he had the chance to respond, Xander approached, resting his hand on Corrin’s shoulder. “I’m honestly glad you’re both all right,” he said solemnly, his eyes heavy. “I was very worried about you.”

Corrin blushed, ducking her head, and Leo stared at the ground, feeling the familiar pang of guilt. 

“It’s my fault!”

They both turned in surprise to see Felicia standing there, her hand raised in the air. “I-I mean—” she swallowed thickly— “I let Lady Corrin’s clothes fly into the river! A-And then she fell in trying to get them, so it’s my fault this all happened!”

“No!” Corrin shouted, shaking her head violently. “It’s my fault, because I wasn’t careful! If I had paid attention to her advice, then everything would have been fine!”

A lump rose in Leo’s throat.  _ I put them in this position, and they’re trying to blame themselves?  _ “No,” he said firmly, staring at Xander. “It’s not their fault. I’m the one to blame here.”

“A-And I was an accomplice for not saying anything!” Flora exclaimed, standing in front of Felicia.

Xander just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache. “Enough, everyone. There’s no point in trying to cover for the others. Though I admit that each of you need to reflect on your actions. However, we know who was responsible for this plan.” Leo winced as he stared at the ground. “The cause of this was you, Leo. You lied to me as your brother and took Corrin out of the castle in a direct violation of Father’s orders. That’s not something I can simply forgive.” He inhaled deeply. “I shall hand out your punishment.”

“Wait, Xander!” Leo’s eyes widened as Corrin stepped in front of him, her hands held in front like a shield. “We’ve all made it out of this okay. And Leo was just trying to help me! So—”

“Corrin, it’s all right,” Leo said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him, lips pursed in confusion. “If we hadn’t found you in time, this story would have had a much different ending. I was responsible for all of this. It’s only logical.” Her eyes were wide, but she said nothing as he took his place at her side, in front of Xander. “State your punishment, Xander,” he said, bracing himself.

“From now on,” Xander said, his voice grave, “you will study hard so that you can read a situation clearly.”

Leo blinked. That… wasn’t exactly what he had expected. “What?”

Xander smiled. “From this incident, I think you understand that you still need experience. If you want the best for someone, just fulfilling their desires isn’t enough. You must do what is needed the most for their sake. Even if the worst happens, even if you’re hated for it, do what will bring them the most happiness. To do that, you must apply knowledge. You’ve studied and learned for all of your life, Leo. That knowledge you’ve acquired will become your weapon, but only if you apply it correctly — if you learn to judge and discern. If you learn those skills, then that will allow you to truly become wise.”

_ To judge and discern. _ It was true: all of his knowledge hadn’t helped him when he was in a panic at the Northern Fortress. And… perhaps that discernment would have helped him recognize where Corrin had gone to earlier. “I see,” Leo said softly. “Very well. I’ll study until Corrin leaves the fortress. And I swear that I’ll be a wiser person on that day.”

Xander nodded approvingly. “I look forward to it, little brother. Now, Corrin.”

Corrin snapped to attention. “Yes?”

“I’ll be sure to have your sword training sessions increased,” Xander stated, “so that when you leave the fortress, no matter what happens, you’ll be able to defend yourself. And so that you can protect others without faltering.”

Corrin’s face grew pensive, staring down at her hands. “Others… without faltering…”

“Yes,” Xander said quietly. “Before, you protected that soldier with your life. And you never could have developed such a protective instinct in the fortress. However, before you can protect others, you must have the power to protect yourself. So I’ll take more initiative in training you.” He rested a hand on her shoulder, smiling. “One day, you’ll wield that sword proudly, little princess.” 

“Right!” Corrin said enthusiastically, nodding. “I swear, Xander, I’ll train harder than ever. Then I’ll be able to protect everyone.” 

“Excellent. Felicia and Flora,” Xander said. “I’ll need you to support Corrin more than ever. She has a hard road ahead of her, even inside the Northern Fortress. She’ll need people who she can rely upon.”

“All right!” Felicia said. 

“Of course,” Flora replied, bowing. 

“As for myself…” Xander smiled wryly. “It seems this whole situation would have been prevented if I had just agreed with you, Leo. But I let my pride and anger control me. For the sake of those around me, I must not lose sight of what is most important. After all, I am your older brother to you both.” He gazed down at Leo and Corrin. “And my role is to take care of you.”

Leo smiled back. “I think you’ve fulfilled that role very well, Brother.”

“Yeah, Xander,” Corrin said, beaming up at him. “If anyone can do it, it’s you.”

Xander chuckled. “Well, thank you for the support. I believe this case is closed. Shall we head back?”

Everyone acknowledged their agreement, and the group began to head towards the horses. Yet Corrin suddenly stopped, her eyes wide as she looked up at the sky. “Whoa!”

“What is it?” Leo asked quickly, a hand resting on her shoulder as he opened Brynhildr with the other. 

“I just saw a shooting star!” she said excitedly, pointing up at the night sky. Leo relaxed, smiling as he saw the look of wonder on her face. “It was so pretty…”

“That meadow you wished to visit isn’t that far up ahead,” Xander pointed out. “Since we’re here, why not make a little detour?”

“Xander?” Leo asked, his eyes wide. “You’re sure that’s all right?”

Xander chuckled. “Yes, even I can be merciful at times. Besides, it shouldn’t take too long, if we’re quick about it. Well, Corrin? What do you say?”

Leo expected her to practically jump for joy at the suggestion. Yet, instead she rubbed at her hands, her face hesitant. “Well…” She swallowed. “Thanks for the idea, Xander, but… I think I’ll pass this time.”

Shocked, Leo tried to check if he’d heard that correctly. “Why, Corrin?”

She smiled at him, crimson eyes twinkling in the light of the stars. “I want all of my family to be there. Camilla and Elise, you and Xander… and everyone that’s supported me in the fortress. It wouldn’t be complete without all of them, you know?” She stared at the ground. “I’m sorry. You went to all of this trouble to bring me out here, and now I’m changing my mind.”

“No,” Leo said slowly, a warmth blooming in his chest. “It’s fine. I think… I think that Camilla and Elise would appreciate that very much.” He paused, then added, “As long as you’re happy.”

She smiled back. “I am. After all, this has been amazing! Seeing real forests, real rivers, and shooting stars… It’s more than enough.”

Xander chuckled. “That’s all? You really have no expectations, do you?”

“I do too!” Corrin protested. “I have a lot of places I want to see! Hills bathed in moonlight, light shining at the seashore, pink flowers blooming in the sunlight…”

Xander blinked. “Pink flowers?”

Corrin nodded. “Yeah. I… I don’t know if I saw it in a book or something. But I remember them. Big trees covered in blooming pink flowers. And streets full of petals…”

“Corrin…” For some reason, Xander looked disturbed as he stared at their sister. “Those…”

“Well, if this is Corrin we’re talking about,” Leo said, “she must have seen them in a dream or something.”

Corrin lips turned down into a sour frown. “Hey! I know it’s not a dream! And if they  _ are _ real, I want to see it!”

Her determination struck a chord in him, and Leo once again saw the Corrin he’d witnessed just a week ago, standing at the gate of the Northern Fortress. Melancholy, alone, almost hopeless. Now she looked so different: confident, a little bit defiant even, excitement and adventure mixing in her eyes. Sticking them side by side, he wouldn’t recognize the one from the other.

_ This is who she really is. This is who she deserves to be. _

So, right then and there, he made a promise. 

“All right,” he said, smiling at her. “Then let’s do it. All of those places you talked about — we’ll visit them all together.”  _ And you’ll be free of the fortress once and for all. _

“If that’s what you truly desire, I’ll lend you my power to do so,” Xander said, his eyes crinkling. 

Corrin’s eyes widened, and the frown turned into a beautiful grin of delight. “Thank you. Really, thank you.”

“Hey, don’t forget about us!” Felicia piped up. Corrin laughed as she turned to see them following close behind. “We’ll support you with everything we’ve got, Lady Corrin!”

“And until you can leave the fortress, we’ll make sure you won’t have any unhappy memories,” Flora promised, smiling softly.

Corrin beamed, looking at all of them. “Really, having you all here… it’s the best. I’m really lucky to have so much support.”

Leo chuckled, then looked up. “Oh, Corrin. Look — another shooting star.”

“Really?” And he grinned as she instantly craned her head up, looking at the stars. One beautifully streaked across the sky, a bright flash in the darkness. She smiled as she looked at it, then strangely enough, bowed her head and clasped her hands together. He could catch a whispered sentence passing out of her mouth, but couldn’t understand it.

“Corrin? What are you doing?” he asked, puzzled.

“I made a wish,” she said matter-of-factly, smiling at him. “Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do with shooting stars?”

“I suppose,” he replied. “So, what did you wish for?”

She giggled, a mischievous grin on her lips. “Hmm… I think that’s a secret.”

“What? Come on, tell me!”

“Nope! No way!”

“Really, Corrin, you’re being ridiculous!”

“It’s my wish, I can do with it what I want!”

“Come on, you two!” Xander shouted, and Leo realized that they trailed behind the others a fair distance. “Don’t fall behind!”

“Yes, Xander!” they both shouted, racing forward to join the rest of the group. 

And above them in the sky, the stars continued to cascade down.

 

* * *

 

Takumi pulled his blanket tighter around him in the cold night air, watching the stars cascade down. It was a cool natural phenomenon, and even though Hinoka and Sakura stayed behind this time, Takumi always went to the cherry blossom groves to watch it. He gripped a steaming cup of tea in his hands, drawing off its warmth as he took a sip.

“The cherry blossoms truly are magnificent this year,” Ryoma said, smiling as he looked at the trees around him. Petals fell around them in the wind, as if trying to match the stars in the sky.

“They sure are,” Takumi agreed, taking another sip. Mother loved them, but she had been sick this time. Maybe next week she’d be able to visit.

“I wish…” Ryoma’s voice wavered as he stared at the cherry blossoms. “It didn’t happen this year, but next year… perhaps we will get to show Corrin these flowers.”

All of the peace of the moment left him when Ryoma said Corrin’s name. Corrin this, Corrin that. He missed her too, but lately that was all anyone seemed to talk about: Corrin. Mother’s latest sadness didn’t help things. “Anyway,” Ryoma said quietly, exhaling softly. “It’s getting cold. Let’s head back.”

“Ryoma,” Takumi murmured. His brother paused. “About Corrin…”

“What is it?” Ryoma asked.

_ Do you really think we’ll be able to get her back? She’s gone. In Nohr, somewhere. And who’s to say that she’ll be the cute perfect sister you remember? It’s been ten years, Ryoma. People change.  _ We’ve _ changed… We’re not that family anymore. _

He wanted to say all of those words. But that would just start another fight. And Takumi, for once, wanted some actual peace. “It’s nothing,” he said instead. “Go on ahead. I just… want some time alone.”

Ryoma pursed his lips, as if he was about to argue that, but instead he turned around and left.  _ Thank the gods, _ Takumi thought, sighing as he turned back to look at the stars. The rate of falling meteors was slowing, though. Soon, the shower would be over. And it  _ was _ getting cold. Still, he waited until his ears ached and his fingers stung. Slowly, he stood up, finishing off his tea before walking back to follow Ryoma. Yet despite his sour mood regarding their missing sister, he couldn’t help but wonder.

_ Are you out there still? Looking at the same falling stars we are? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! This is the final chapter of the drama CD, and I'm excited to hit this landmark with you all! 
> 
> I loved writing some good fluff finally, as my life has been kind of stressful as of late (no work, family concerns, etc). So I hope you guys enjoy it as well. Also, writing Charlotte has been a dream, but also difficult, so I'm kind of glad that's over with. Takumi's last bit was fun as well, writing the dichotomy of the brother who misses his sister but also wants to just have closure (and some attention too, let's be honest). 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


	10. Epilogue: Fulfilled Wishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I took the stars from our eyes, and then I made a map  
> And knew that somehow I could find my way back  
> Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too  
> So I stayed in the darkness with you"
> 
> \- Cosmic Love, Florence + the Machine

“So, I’ve been waiting in this carriage for… an hour now?” Corrin said. “When can I take off the blindfold?”

Leo chuckled next to her — she’d be able to recognize that sound from five miles away. “I think the whole point of kidnapping a person is that they  _ don’t _ see where they’re going.”

“I think the whole point of marriage is that you don’t kidnap your spouse,” she shot back, grinning. “At least it’s not cold outside.” She had to give Leo that. 

“Don’t worry, Mama!” Kana said behind her. “You’ll love it!”

“Father actually put a lot of preparation into this,” Forrest added. “I think you’ll be impressed.”

“All right, you two,” she said, laughing as she leaned against Leo. “I guess I’ll be patient.”

“We’re almost there,” Leo reassured her, and she blinked as the carriage came to a stop. “Just a bit farther on foot.” Kana cheered behind her, and she smiled as she heard the thumping on feet on grass. 

“Oh Kana, be careful! You’ll get grass stains if you fall!” Forrest fretted, his voice nearly squeaking. She laughed as another thump followed, their older son chasing after the younger. 

“So, um… How am I supposed to get down?” she asked, feeling around the carriage. 

“The same way you got in,” Leo answered, and she smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her from her seat. Soon enough, she felt the grass beneath her feet — cool and wet with dew. “Here,” Leo said, his hand slipping into hers.

“This is some surprise,” she noted, following him as he guided her along. The air smelled sweet, and she recognized the scent of fresh flowers. 

“Well, Kana suggested the idea of you wearing a blindfold,” Leo admitted. “And Forrest told me that the whole endeavor should be a surprise. I didn’t want to make things unnecessarily complicated, but… The idea intrigued me.” She chuckled at that, leaning against him as they walked in the night air. Then, she blinked as she heard chatter nearby.  _ People? And lots of them.  _ “Well then,” Leo said, releasing her hand, “I believe we’ve arrived.” Her eyes widened as the blindfold slipped away, revealing a sight she’d never thought she’d see again.

Three years ago, she’d stood in this clearing, wearing a maid’s uniform, in wonder at the world around them. Leo had been at her side then, a little shorter, eyes a little wider. Now, she stood here again, Leo at her side, staring at the same clearing filled with flowers. The sky shone above them with twinkling stars. 

And they weren’t alone.

“We were wondering when you were going to make it,” Ryoma said, Elise cheering at his side. 

“This place... it really is beautiful,” Sakura said softly, her cheeks flushed in the night air. 

“Everyone…” Her eyes actually started to tear up as she saw each and every one of her siblings there, along with some of their children. Ryoma, Xander, Hinoka, Camilla, Takumi, Elise and Sakura… “But how?”

“That was the challenge,” Leo said, smiling at her. “Negotiating schedules with two kings was the hardest part. But I made a promise three years ago. I intended to keep it.”

_ A promise… _

“And besides, I wasn’t about to miss out on watching the largest starshower of the year with my little sister,” Camilla said, embracing her. “I heard about last time. Don’t worry. We won’t have you falling into any rivers this time around.”

Corrin laughed, wiping her eyes. “Right.” A part of her still couldn’t believe it: all of her family here at once. The last time they’d been together had been at Ryoma’s coronation, over six months ago. “Leo, you really pulled off a miracle.”

He simply smiled, then led her to a blanket already spread out on the ground. Kana and Forrest had already flopped down on the coverlet, staring up eagerly.  “Oh look, Mother!” Forrest gasped, pointing up at the sky. Corrin turned her head up, then let out a held breath in wonder. The stars were already falling, just a few at a time, but still bright enough to stick out. Soon the others were pointing and exclaiming as well, and Corrin watched breathlessly as the starshower began in earnest.

“It’s gorgeous,” she whispered, staring at the streaks of light painting the sky. “I can’t believe it…” This had been everything she’d imagined as a child and more. 

“It truly is,” Leo agreed. He had a soft smile on his face as Kana nestled himself against him.

“Leo?” she asked, turning to look at him. He faced her in response. “What do you mean when you said you were going to keep a promise?”

“Three years ago,” he said, his voice wistful. “You wanted to see the world. Hills bathed in moonlight, light shining at the seashore, cherry blossoms in Hoshido. I promised you that we’d go see all of those things together. And we did. Except for this.” His eyes shone in the light of the stars, a warm glow. “You wanted to see these stars with your family.  _ All _ of your family”

“And you had to wait for us to come along,” Kana piped up. “Right, Mama?”

She laughed, ruffling his hair. “You bet, my Kana-bean.” Still, the fact that Leo had remembered this, after three years of war and fighting and everything… She closed her eyes. “I guess my wish really was granted.”

“A wish?” Forrest asked, voice inquisitive.

“Mmm. Three years ago, I made a wish when your father and I were here last,” Corrin said, smiling as she looked up at the stars.

“And you never told me what it was,” Leo pointed out. A part of him still looked sour about it.

She grinned. “Yes, well, it was a secret. But I guess it doesn’t really matter anymore.”

“So then, what did you wish for?” Forrest asked.

“Ah, well…” She blushed. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Tell us, Mama!” Kana insisted.

“I… I wished that everyone could keep being happy,” she whispered. Her eyes couldn’t help but glance at her brothers and sisters around her. Sakura sipped at tea, leaning against Xander as he pointed out the Nohrian constellations, Siegbert listening along intently. Takumi whispered something in Kiragi’s ear while Camilla cuddled them both, beaming from ear to ear. Elise had flopped down between Shiro and Ryoma, Hinoka sitting behind them. Azura smiled serenely as she sat with Kaze at the base of a tree, Shigure humming a soft tune that sounded a lot like a lullaby while Midori was busy examining the flowers of the meadow. Who would have imagined three years ago that they would have all come together? Not just as allies, but as friends?

As family?

A lump rose in her throat as she stared at the sight. And though there were missing figures — their own sets of parents — somehow everything felt complete. Whole. Perhaps it was because they had lost and overcome so much that they could all feel this happiness here, underneath the falling stars.

Leo smiled, his fingers interlacing with her own. “I think you’re right,” he said softly. 

Yes, her wish had been granted after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this is finally posted! I'm so sorry about the delay but school started and I never got the motivation to finish this fanfic. But I figured that I should give this to myself as a birthday present. Thank you everyone for reading this and for sticking with it. I don't consider this my best work, but it was a really fun project and something that I've wanted to do for a long while.
> 
> In the (perhaps far) future, I will be going back and editing this, as I've seen some parts that I would like to change and improve. They won't be massive changes, but hopefully they'll add to the story instead of take away from it.
> 
> Thanks for all of the support and love and feedback! You all are amazing people!  
> Cheers,  
> ChronoXtreme

**Author's Note:**

> First off, I'd like to thank a wonderful tumblr user whose name I have completely forgotten for taking their time and talents to translate this drama cd. I don't speak Japanese at all, so I needed some help, and thankfully this person provided it for free. 
> 
> Second off, yes, I'm back! While I didn't have time to write for the past year and a half, I definitely had time to think of stories. This is a project I've wanted to do for quite a while, but didn't have the time. And now I do. 
> 
> I will go back and edit this so that it's better. This is heavily based off the drama cd, but isn't a perfect novelization. Therefore, please be merciful with me. It's been a long while. :) Feel free to leave comments and feedback on how this can be better!


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